My Downfall
by twilightedseattlegirl
Summary: Bella starts a new consulting job and can’t help but lust after her manager. Just when something starts to spark between them, she is accused of a serious crime. Will her new friends stand by her after the arrest? But what if Bella is not innocent… AH
1. How It Ends & Begins

**Preface**

How had this happened? What had gone wrong? I don't know the answers to these questions. All I know is that I am currently in the back of an unmarked FBI car headed to their Seattle field office for questioning. My mind is a buzz with memories and theories as I try to decipher how I found myself in this place. Not just the physical car itself, but this moment.

I lean forward so that my forehead touches the cold leather of the seatback in front of me. My whole body is so overheated from the shock of what just happened that I hope the coolness will bring me some comfort, but it doesn't. My long brown hair fanned out on either side of my face blocks out everything for a moment – the Seattle waterfront scenes flying by the car window, the slight movements of the two men in the front seat, my own consciousness.

But the moment is brief and everything returns in full force. As I lean back again, I see one of the men look at me through the rearview mirror taking in my appearance. I have been told that I am attractive, but I never believe it. Yes, I am slim, but my features, hair, and brown eyes are all so very ordinary. Thanks to my new friend Alice, I dress better than I ever have in the past, but that is no consolation at this moment. Despite the sleek black pencil skirt that goes to my knees and fitted red blouse that fully covers what little cleavage I have, I feel totally exposed by the man's glare.

I almost laugh out loud when I remember that the collar of my blouse is white. How ironic. Thankfully, I don't because if I let one sound escape my lips, I know I won't be able to stop the hysteria from bubbling out. Isabella Marie Swan, daughter of the Chief of Police in a nearby town, is being accused of a federal crime. Once again, the irony is hard to miss.

The driver's voice breaks into my thoughts. "We're almost there. Once we arrive, you will be able to call a lawyer if you would like, although it is not necessary. We merely want to question you. We are not pressing charges."

The other man mumbles a "yet" under his breath.

As much as I know I need to concentrate on what is going to happen next, I can't help but dwell on the events that have just transpired. No matter how this turns out, those memories would be etched forever in my mind.

I was at my desk debugging a problem, one of many I have written since being assigned to my current client, Meyer Banking Corporation. It was an algorithm meant to sort the bank's vast databases of customers into marketing groups based on complex criteria. My eyes scanned the lines of computer code looking for the error that was preventing the program from compiling correctly.

Debugging programs is a favorite part of my job as a computer analyst for the world's premier information technology consulting company. So much of life is in the infamous gray area. I had never been good at sorting out the problems and dilemmas of my twenty-five year old existence. I always second guess my decisions, never knowing if the outcome will work out as planned. But with the initial stages of programming, you know right away if you had made the right decisions. If the code wouldn't compile at first, it becomes a cat and mouse game of tracking down the error, which was somewhat thrilling in itself.

Although not always easy to find, there was always an objective reason a program wouldn't work. And I always eventually found the error and achieved immediate and recognizable success.

Until today that is. I was still looking for my coding mistake when I heard an unfamiliar voice say my name. Although I didn't know who it was at first or why they were in my cubicle, a chill ran down my spine. I instantly knew that I had somehow made a bigger mistake in life and this was the reckoning. The realization was strange, as Alice was usually the one with the uncanny ability to predict the future. As they asked me to follow them I wondered briefly if Alice had seen this coming.

Time slowed down to almost a standstill for the next several minutes. Details of my surroundings that I had never noticed before came into sharp focus. How the tan carpet had flecks of orange in it. That the walls of the many cubicles in the open space were not all the same height, some off by several centimeters. And even the fact that the clock on the far wall of the room that was slightly crooked. Despite my distractions, my clumsiness was held in check for once, and I managed not to fall as I walked between the two figures who had identified themselves as federal agents.

Although the men who escorted me out of the banking headquarters were in suits and thankfully didn't handcuff me, I could feel the stares of both the bank employees and my own consulting co-workers as we walked down the hall towards the elevator. They knew who the men were and they thought that they knew what I was – a criminal.

Yes, a few had shocked expressions of disbelief on their faces, and others wore a mask of pity, but there were many that seemed to be elated at the drama that was breaking up the monotony of office life and thus didn't doubt my guilt as it made for a better story. I am sure they couldn't wait to get home tonight and tell their friends and family about the FBI bust at the office today. Some weren't waiting that long. As we passed by her cubicle, I could hear Lauren on the phone relaying the unfolding events to Jessica who was currently staffed at another client. She smirked at me as our eyes met, but I didn't look away.

I had to stay strong. The wall holding up the landslide of emotions that threaten to drown me was barely intact. And even though I knew I shouldn't if I wanted to keep that wall in place a little longer, I couldn't help but turn my head towards the office at the end of the next hallway that the stone-faced men and I walked by. Just as I knew he would be, Edward was there to watch my downfall.

He had stepped out of his office, but seemed frozen in place as he stood just beyond the doorway. Had he wanted to come to me, to intervene somehow, but stopped himself? I slowly let my eyes wander up the body I had memorized over the last months until I met his piercing stare. I couldn't read all the emotions that flashed across his green eyes in rapid succession – confusion, pain, anger. Was that last one resignation?

I looked deeper desperate to see the one emotion that would hold me together during the trying events that were most certainly in my immediate future, but if Edward Cullen did love me, he didn't let it show before the connection was broken forcefully. The elevator doors had closed on the life I had tried to build here in Seattle, the hope that my future could be brighter than my past, and the man that I had carelessly given my heart to even though he didn't ask for it and, as I finally realized with absolute certainty, didn't want.

**Chapter One: Bella's Back Story**

_3 Months Earlier - June 22, 2009_

I studied my reflection in the full length mirror propped in the corner of my small bedroom. Or more specifically, I stared at the two different shoes on my feet. The trendy black heels were tempting as I wanted to make a good impression my first day at work, but I decided to go with the short pumps as it was more important to minimize the very likely chances of tripping and falling on my face during orientation.

After settling the Great Shoe Debate, I smoothed down the front of my new slacks and put the finishing touches on my make-up. The latter action only took about thirty seconds since my regiment consists of just mascara, powder, and lip gloss. Although I wanted to look nice, I also wanted to be taken seriously. Plus, adding mascara was already more than I usually do.

The ringing of a telephone interrupted the solitude of my morning routine. I grabbed the shiny Blackberry, a recent gift to myself, from its place on my bedside table not needing to check the caller id. No one but my parents had my new cell number, and dad would never call unexpectedly. Jake of course had asked for the number, but I was putting off defining the terms of our new relationship for now.

"Hello, mom."

"Bella, dear. Sorry to call so early but I had to tell you about an amazing job opportunity Sue from yoga class mentioned this morning. It sounds like a perfect fit for you…"

I had to cut her off before she got farther with the sales spiel. We had already had this conversation so many times since I finished grad school at Arizona State in May, and both my heart and mind were seriously protesting a repeat performance.

"Mom, please don't do this. You know I am starting my job here in Seattle today. Be happy for me. I need your well wishes on this day especially." I didn't want to admit it to Renee, but I was scared about starting over here. Worried that I had made the wrong decision. Again.

Renee couldn't accept that I was no longer living near her in Phoenix. Although I had stayed close for college, I knew now was the time to spread my wings so to speak. It wasn't that I felt I needed to start taking care of myself instead of letting Renee mother me. Just the opposite in fact. I had always been the adult in the relationship. When I went home for the weekend, I did her laundry, not the other way around. No, I just needed a fresh start, and Seattle seemed like the perfect place.

That wasn't always the plan though. I had originally interviewed for a position with the Phoenix office of Volterra Consulting. I had known I wanted to work for Volterra since my undergraduate days at ASU. Well, at least after I had a wake-up call senior year about what I was going to do with the rest of my life.

When I started college, I decided to get a degree in English Literature. With my love of reading and the classics, it seemed like the most obvious choice. I honestly didn't give much thought to what I would do with myself after college. Maybe write or teach like Renee.

Jake liked the fact that I was an English major. We met at a party in the spring of our sophomore year. I didn't have much of a social life back then; my roommate at the time dragged me there. Her usual "wing woman" was out of town, so she said she needed my support and guilted me into going. What I hadn't fully realized was that my role required me to keep an eye on her while she made out with the first guy who showed interest.

She was all for the make out session. She just wanted me to make sure the guy was a "gentleman" as the night progressed. Luckily his eyes eventually wandered to another girl with a larger chest so I didn't have to drag her away from anyone when it was time to head back to our dorm.

It was earlier while I stood in a corner trying to go unnoticed that Jake had approached me. Although he was a member of the fraternity, he seemed just as out of place as me. The two of us started talking and I realized we had a lot in common. I also couldn't help but notice his looks, over six feet talk with russet skin, thick black hair, and chiseled features.

From an instant friendship, our relationship quickly morphed and it wasn't long before Jake was introducing me as his girlfriend. Although we had never discussed it, I didn't mind. It was nice to feel like I was the one being taken care of for a change. He pushed our physical relationship quicker than I was always comfortable with, but he made me laugh and I felt a kinship with him that I had never known with anyone before. If my body was the payment for the comfort and convenience of Jake, then I was a willing buyer. I knew I loved him even if it wasn't with the passion and fire I had read about in books. I had already figured out that real life rarely matches what fiction offers as the norm.

By the summer before senior year, Jake had started talking about our future, but in reality, it was his future. His job opportunities. His long-term plans. His needs. Suddenly, I didn't appreciate that he assumed an English major had little career aspirations of her own, although it was largely true at the time. I had always been proud that Renee was a teacher, but I was starting to realize that I wanted something different for my own life.

The real wake-up call was when I overheard my boyfriend talking to his father on the phone. Jake was suggesting to Billy that maybe I could work at the campus bookstore "to have something to do" while he completed our school's MBA program. They went on to discuss how I would make the perfect society wife and stay-at-home mom once Jake established himself in the business world. Did I want that though?

I had taken a computer programming class on a whim during second semester junior year, wanting a break from analyzing plot structure and character development. I was surprised to find that I enjoyed the class, and more so, that I was good at it. Since I had already fulfilled the core requirements for my degree thanks to high school AP credit, I decided to take several more programming and database classes during my final year as an undergraduate. I even enrolled in an information systems course offered through the business school that Jake has taken the year before.

Jake was amused by my new interest at first, but later started to get concerned, especially when I received a higher grade than he had in the IS class. The balance in our relationship had started to shift.

The more Jake pushed me to drop my "flitting obsession," as he liked to call it, the more determined I became to discover if my professional future was to be found in the world of technology. I completed an internship with a local software company during the spring of my senior year and somehow managed to get accepted into Arizona State's Master of Computing Studies program. Apparently they like to have students from a diverse background of undergraduate majors.

Jake seemed somewhat resigned to the situation, but we still began to drift apart while completing our respective graduate programs. The future started to become less clear for us as a couple, although we had decided together to stay in the Phoenix area after school.

As graduation approached, I accepted the local position with Volterra Consulting, thrilled to have gotten an offer. Not long afterwards though, Jake casually mentioned that he had just accepted a job with an investment firm in New York so I should call my Volterra recruiter to have my offer transferred to the company's Manhattan office.

The term angry does not do justice to how I felt at the time. I was mad that Jake would accept an out-of-state offer without discussing it with me first, but I was more upset about his motives as I knew he was testing me. Jake still wanted me to be the shy, insecure girl he had met at a fraternity party four years prior. A girl who would unquestionably follow him as he pursued his own career goals. Someone who would put his needs first. But I wasn't that girl anymore.

I did call my Volterra recruiter about transferring my offer to another office, but my new location preference was Seattle. I was born in a town on the Washington coast, and my father was there still. We weren't close, but I was hoping that might change. Seattle would help connect me to my past while also allowing for a fresh start.

But my choice had not gone over well with my mother. Her voice brought me back from my reveries.

"Bella, you know I support you," she continued with an exasperated voice, "but I feel that the only reason you moved to Seattle was to punish Jacob Black. Can't you see that you are really just making life harder for yourself? Come back home."

"Mom, this is my home now."

And it was true even if several of my boxes were still unpacked and no pictures were hanging yet on the walls of my small apartment in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle.

I had to make this work. I had already made so many bad decisions in my short life. I couldn't afford another one.


	2. First Day Jitters

**Chapter Two: First Day Jitters**

I finally managed to get my mom off the phone and hurried to catch the bus that would take me into downtown Seattle. The local office of Volterra Consulting was at the south end of the city near the International District and stadiums. Since all of my interviews were conducted in Phoenix, I had yet to visit the building here.

As I stood waiting with the other early morning commuters, I couldn't help but be reminded of the main difference between Seattle and Phoenix. Even though it was late June, the morning air was chilly and a low cloud cover hung over the city. The weather here would take awhile to get used to, but I was excited to be surrounded by water, mountains, and of course lots of evergreens. Although my clumsiness prevented me from participating in most outdoor activities, that didn't mean I couldn't appreciate the staggering natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

My commute was relatively short so I had plenty of time to grab a caffeine fix before needing to check in at the office. Of course being in Seattle, I easily found a coffee shop nearby; actually, I passed six while walking the one block from the bus stop.

A muffin and tall latte later, I was still running early, but decided to go on up to Volterra's reception area. I hoped to get a feel for the business atmosphere before the other new employees arrived for orientation.

Volterra Consulting has over eighty offices in cities around the world. Although they are unified in all the ways that matter, I learned during the recruiting process that each office has its own personality. Phoenix was small compared to Seattle, but Seattle also wasn't considered a large office by company standards. I had heard that my new location was less formal than most by nature of being located in such a relatively relaxed and laidback city. I hoped that was the case. If nothing else, I was ecstatic that "business casual" is the standard dress code here. Many of the east coast offices including Manhattan still require employees to wear suits every day. Yet another good reason for not following Jake to New York.

Stepping out of the elevator, I quickly surveyed my new workplace. The décor was dominated by light hardwoods, chrome, and fabrics with a subtle Asian feel. A spiral staircase was prominent on the right side of the reception area. I could see a ferry boat gliding across Elliott Bay through the two story glass window on the left. The interior was more modern than I was expecting, but I shouldn't have been surprised as I knew Volterra had the top two floors custom designed when the high-rise was built three years ago.

Approaching the front desk, I desperately tried to project an outward appearance of confidence. On the inside, the nerves in my stomach were building to the point of almost being unbearable.

I waited a moment while the receptionist finished taking a phone call. From my research, I already knew her name as well as the rest of the office staff and all of the local partners.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cope. I am hoping you can point me in the right direction. My name is Bella Swan, and I am one of the new employees starting today."

After giving me a quick smile, the older woman started scanning over the notes on her desk.

"I don't see a Bella… oh wait, here you are. Isabella Swan, Technology Analyst."

She handed me a visitor's badge with reassurances that my official employee version would be ready by the end of the day and pointed me towards a large conference room down the hall.

"Go ahead in. The other new analysts are already in there."

So much for being the first one to arrive.

With a parting wave and words of thanks, I headed towards the door. I was determined to make a strong first impression. To be myself, but also assert my place as someone who deserved this opportunity.

Luckily - or unluckily depending on your perspective - no one noticed me when I first walked in. I was able to observe the other five new employees, three women and two men, before needing to make my presence known. All of them seemed close to my age, but that was to be expected as Volterra is a relatively young company. They tend to hire recent college graduates who want to build their careers at one company while advancing quickly through the ranks. Most people who are going to make partner in the company do so by their late-thirties. Many of them then retire within 10 years of achieving that milestone.

The woman sitting to the far left seemed to be shamelessly flirting with a blond man. He was attractive enough, but it still surprised me to see that type of behavior in an office, especially on the first day of work. The second woman was leaned back in her chair like she owned the place, ignoring the dark-hair guy beside her who was trying unsuccessfully to strike up a conversation. The last woman looked up at that moment and gave me a warm smile.

"Hi. I am assuming you are new too. I'm Angela Weber."

Everyone else stopped their conversations to look at me. I truly hated being the center of attention, and as a result, I could feel the traitor blush spreading across my cheeks.

So much for making a strong first impression.

"Nice to meet you, Angela. I'm Bella Swan."

The blond guy jumped from his seat, rapidly closed the distance between us, and grabbed my hand.

"Hi, Bella. I'm Mike, and this is Jessica, Lauren, and Eric."

Although I assume he had just met everyone as well, Mike seemed totally at ease making introductions. Apparently he was going to be the cruise director of our little group during orientation and training.

Jessica, who had been previously leaning her chest into Mike's body before my appearance interrupted her flirting, first gave me an icy glare but quickly replaced it with a fake smile.

"Welcome, Bella. There's an extra seat beside me if you would like."

Jessica gestured to a spot at the end of the table. I had a feeling she just wanted to make sure I didn't somehow end up sitting next to Mike who was still holding my hand for some reason. I pulled my fingers from his strong grasp and made my way towards her.

Eric and I said hello to each other as I walked to my seat, but Lauren had yet to acknowledge my presence. Although older, she reminded me of the queen bee from that movie _Mean Girls_. I had a feeling that Lauren wouldn't hesitate to step on any toes, or even heads, in order to climb the proverbial corporate ladder. Angela though continued to send friendly vibes my way, so perhaps the two of us might have more in common. The jury was still out on Jessica.

Any further attempts at "getting to know you" banter were curtailed however as the door opened once again.

While I might have gone unnoticed at first, the woman who walked in after me demanded attention. Her strawberry blond hair hung in loose curls over the silk blouse that highlighted generous curves. This woman had an air of confidence that I would never be able to emulate. She didn't waste any time letting us know why she was there.

"Hello and welcome to the Volterra Consulting family. I am Tanya Denali, Director of Recruiting and Orientation for the Seattle office. I will be leading the majority of your orientation and training sessions over the next two weeks, although members of our consulting staff will be assisting as well. I know most of you have a strong background in business and/or technology, but before you start at a client site, we want to make sure that you fully understand Volterra's methodologies and the best practices we have developed from working with 98% of the Fortune 500 companies."

It may have been my imagination, but I felt like Tanya gave me a pointed glance while discussing educational backgrounds. I knew that my undergraduate degree was unconventional for the company, but I did graduate summa cum laude and went on to earn a Masters in Computing Studies.

"Of course I met all but one of you during our local recruiting process, so I feel confident that those of you I personally hired are the best of the best. I can only hope that other offices have the same rigorous recruiting standards that we hold here in Seattle. Only time will tell."

This last statement was made while looking directly at me. It was obviously _not_ my imagination before. Perhaps Tanya felt that she had been overstepped when my Phoenix recruiter went straight to one of partners here in Seattle. Apparently Tim had worked on a project with Emmett McCarty before switching from consulting to recruiting. Based on Tim's recommendation, Mr. McCarty – or Emmett as he insisted on being called when we spoke briefly on the phone – was willing to switch my offer to Seattle without conducting additional in-person interviews.

Tanya continued her welcome speech while passing out binders to each of us. The rest of the morning was spent completing paperwork and reviewing the company's benefit package options and human resources policies.

It was almost lunch time and the nerves started to swirl in my stomach once again. I knew from the agenda that was sent to us ahead of time that we would be eating today at a nearby restaurant with a "to be determined" partner. I started my mantra of "don't order pasta, don't order pasta, don't order pasta" as I needed to focus on keeping Clumsy Bella under wraps during the meal. I still had flashbacks of the mess I made during a lunch interview with another company. Before the meal was over, both the recruiter and I had splatters of marinara sauce all over our shirts.

Tanya was just about to review the partner's bio when a large muscular man with a wide grin pushed through the door of the conference room. Even though his crisp button-down shirt and slacks were obviously expensive and tailored, the new arrival looked like he would be more at home in a sports bar than an office building.

"Enough with resume. They don't need to know that I am the youngest person to ever make partner in Seattle, although I am. Or that I single-handled landed Volterra our largest local client, although I did. All these new analysts need to know is that I work damn hard during the day for the company, but play even harder at night when business is done, and that I expect the same from them. And don't even think about calling me Mr. McCarty. It's Emmett or be prepared to get a bad performance review at year end."

Tanya cringed and looked highly annoyed. I couldn't tell if it was because she had been interrupted or because the newest addition to our group had just broken several of the HR policies discussed only moments before.

I for one was thrilled that Emmett was the partner meeting with us today, although I still couldn't get over how little he resembled my preconceived notions of what a partner should look like. The ones I met in Phoenix were slightly older and much more straight-laced. Not only did Emmett project a carefree air that put all of us at ease, he was also very handsome by anyone's standards. Although not really my type, I could still appreciate his curly brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and strong jaw line. I was beginning to really like the office culture in Seattle.

At Tanya's direction, everyone started filing out of the conference room to head to lunch. I hadn't been able to introduce myself to Emmett yet, but I knew there would be plenty of time for that at the restaurant. As we emerged into the reception area, Mike was suddenly by my side eager to continue his cruise director role. When he found out I wasn't a Seattle native, he started telling me about all of the "hot spots" in the city and offered to show me around. I was nodding along to what Mike was saying and making noncommittal responses when I got the distinct feeling I was being watched.

I turned around in time to barely catch a glimpse of a man before he disappeared up the spiral staircase to the floor above. I didn't see his face, but I couldn't help but notice the unusual color of his bronze hair.


	3. Lust Filled Haze

**Chapter Three: Lust Filled Haze**

"So you are the famous Bella Swan?" Emmett asked after the waiter had taken everyone's lunch orders. The eight of us were seated around a large table in a private room at the Metropolitan Grill. Once again I saw a cringe on Tanya's face.

"Well…I'm Bella," I replied self-consciously, "but definitely far from famous."

"Don't be so modest! Tim couldn't stop talking about how you are one of the best recruits he has ever hired. Top of your class in both your undergraduate and graduate programs. Editor of Arizona State's literacy magazine. Winner of the prestigious Hjelmstad Award for Technology Excellence. And if I am not mistaken, you worked throughout college to pay for your education and spent the last month since graduation volunteering at a computer camp for underprivileged youth. Should I go on?"

Go on? I wanted nothing more in the world than for him to take back what he already said. The "accomplishments" Emmett mentioned were achieved for my own personal satisfaction, not as resume builders.

Everyone else at the table was staring at me and I didn't need a mirror to know my face was blushing again with what I hoped was only a slight shade of pink this time.

Thankfully Lauren changed the subject. Not surprisingly, her new topic of choice was herself.

"Emmett, did you know that I was president of my sorority for two years? The leadership skills I gained in the position were invaluable. I don't doubt that I will be a great asset to the firm. I can't wait to prove on my first staffing assignment just how good I am. Speaking of which, when will we find out what client site we will be working at after training is completed?"

She took a quick breath before continuing to ramble.

"Of course if you need help with anything over the next two weeks while we are still in the Volterra office, don't hesitate to let me know. I am willing to help in _any_ capacity and I don't mind staying late after hours." Lauren practically purred the last part of her little speech. I was relieved to see that Emmett seemed put-off by her mildly veiled proposition.

"Actually, I am only in the office today to help with orientation and take care of some internal business. I head back out to my client site tomorrow. I am currently leading up a technology transformation project at Meyer Banking Corporation. We are upgrading all of their internal computer systems including marketing, human resources, and customer account management. Some of you will probably end up at Meyer after training as we will be ramping up the next stage of the project early next month and will definitely need some new blood. But I know the partner in charge of the Boeing account is also looking to bring on several new analysts there. You will each be meeting with the staffing coordinator this week to discuss which role matches best with your individual backgrounds and interests."

Emmett spent the rest of the meal answering our questions about Volterra Consulting and the local clients. I was a little sad to hear they didn't need any extra help right now with the project going on at Starbucks' corporate headquarters. Free coffee would have been a nice perk.

Once we parted ways with Emmett back at the office, the six new analysts returned to the conference room to await our next presenter. Tanya had to conduct an interview but planned to join us again later in the afternoon. In the meantime, one of the consulting managers would be reviewing all of the career development programs available to Volterra employees. I was excited to learn more about this topic as the company's many on-going training opportunities was one of the main reasons I was so determined to work here.

I was answering one of Mike's endless questions as I settled back into my chair, so I didn't turn around right away when I heard our presenter come into the conference room. He immediately started his introduction though, presumably to get the group's attention.

"Hi everyone. I hope you will be able to stay awake after what I am sure what a good meal at the Metropolitan Grill. I will try to make my presentation as interactive as possible, so please speak up if you have any questions about the material I am covering."

His voice was deep but with a musical quality. I turned in my seat to take in the appearance of the man with such a mesmerizing cadence. I immediately noticed the familiar bronze hair, but then froze when I saw his face. The Volterra manager standing in front of us was the most breathtakingly beautiful man I have ever seen. In fact, I stopped breathing for a moment as I took in his facial features and long, lean body. The lack of oxygen caused an involuntary reaction and I emitted a slight gasping sound as my lungs suddenly sucked in needed air.

As he continued, the manager's vivid green eyes looked at everyone in the room except me. He was probably embarrassed by my little display of ogling. Although I tried to be a little more subtle, I couldn't resist continuing my assessment of his appearance. He looked to be in his late twenties, which made sense based on his career level. Volterra's culture encourages and expects rapid career growth – an "up or out" mentality.

A green and blue stripped button-up and tan slacks fitted his toned physique perfectly. I could see the muscles ripple across his six-foot plus tall body when he occasionally gestured to a PowerPoint slide being projected behind him. He ran his hands through his hair several times during the presentation making it stand up in all directions, but instead of disheveled, the look was incredibly sexy.

I could feel my cheeks turning red again, but it wasn't from embarrassment this time. My body had never reacted to someone like that before. I had to forcefully pull myself out of a lust filled haze to concentrate on what he was saying about the individual development plans we would be required to craft at the beginning of each fiscal year.

My brain had not registered most of his introduction as it was occupied with other thoughts, like how he would look naked in my bed.I assume he told us his name and a little background about his career at Volterra, but I missed it. As training packets were being passed out, I quickly glanced at our agenda.

_Training & Career Development ~~ Edward Cullen, Process Manager_

His title indicated that Edward probably concentrated more on the business side of things versus "hardcore" technology. Volterra staffed projects with a mix of skills and specialties so that the team as a whole was well positioned for success. Even the most advanced and sophisticated software and computer programs are useless if they don't match the client's business objectives and system needs.

My mind kept returning to inappropriate thoughts of Edward no matter how hard I tried to stay focused on the content of his presentation. I wasn't looking to jump into a romantic or even purely sexual relationship so soon after breaking things off with Jake, and even if I was, getting involved with a co-worker was a very, very bad idea. That said, this particular co-worker made every cell in my body tingle by just being in the same room. Even though I could never have the real thing, I was certain Edward would have a starring role in my fantasies for the foreseeable future.

As Edward was wrapping up his presentation, Tanya reentered the room. He gave her a warm smile, and she returned his greeting by linking arms and leaning into his side. An unexpected and unwanted pang of jealousy shot through my system.

"I am sure Edward took very good care of you in my absence," Tanya began after _finally _taking her eyes off of my fantasy man, "but we must say good bye to him for now as our last presenter of the day is here."

I had been so focused on the interaction between Edward and Tanya that I hadn't even noticed the other woman who had joined us. Although different from Tanya physically, this newcomer was equally attractive and I felt a fresh wave of inadequacy. She was very petite, several inches shorter than my own 5' 4'' frame. Her short black hair was spiked all around, but she made the style look both sophisticated and chic. I am certain that I saw her outfit in the most recent issue of _Vogue_. Energy radiated from this small woman as she bounced on her Jimmy Choo's.

"Hi, I'm Alice Brandon, Seattle's staffing coordinator. I have been looking forward to meeting you for weeks. I have had a strong feeling since I first saw a list of your names that something very exciting will happen as a result of your group joining the company, and my predictions are rarely wrong." Alice gave everyone a warm smile before continuing her introduction.

"I will be meeting with each of you individually over the next few days to discuss your first staffing assignment. Our partners have sold a lot of new work lately, so your skills will be put to good use. As for the topic of my presentation today, I will be demonstrating how to complete our internal time sheets as well as reviewing the reimbursement policies. Since the client will be billed for your work, it is essential you track and report all of your hours and expenses correctly."

Alice somehow managed to turn a potentially dull presentation on time reporting into a social event. We were all laughing and joking together by the end of the hour. As she was packing up the training materials, Alice turned another bright smile on the group.

"So, I don't know if you have heard already or not, but Twilight is the unofficial gathering spot for Volterra employees after hours. I am planning on going there myself later tonight, so I would be more than happy to introduce you around if you would like."

All six of us were eager to accept her invitation. Although I had been in Seattle less than a week, I already knew of the trendy bar/nightclub and was excited to meet more Volterra employees. Tanya though didn't comment one way or another about Alice's social suggestion, so I couldn't help but wonder if I would be seeing her later tonight or not. Either way, I was extremely happy a few minutes later when she officially ended our first day on the job.

I barely had the time to stand however before Mike was immediately by my side.

"So, Bella, I was thinking we could grab some dinner before meeting up with everyone else at Twilight. I know a quiet Italian restaurant near there. We can drop by your place first if you want to change."

I struggled with how to respond to Mike. I appreciated his friendliness, but didn't want to encourage him. He had been flirting with me all day while Jessica tried to flirt with him. I would have found the whole situation comical if I wasn't in the middle of it myself. Thankfully, Alice came to my rescue.

"Actually, Bella, I was hoping you wouldn't mind going on and meeting with me now to discuss potential staffing opportunities. My schedule is pretty tight over the next few days, so I would love to get one of these appointments out of the way."

Mike wasn't going to give up that easily though. "Maybe Angela or Eric could meet with you now, Alice. Being the newcomer to the city, it seems only fair that Bella gets to fully enjoy _all_ that Seattle has to offer on a beautiful summer evening like this."

I have the distinct feeling that Mike was offering himself up as one of these "new experiences," and I definitely couldn't let that happen.

"Thanks for the dinner offer, but I would actually like to go on and meet with Alice. Jessica mentioned earlier that she was hoping to eat before hitting the club, so maybe you should ask her instead."

Alice seemed to realize how desperate I was to remove myself from the conversation with Mike, so she gracefully excused us. We raced out of the conference room and down the hall before Mike could come up with a new strategy. Once the door to her office closed, Alice pulled me in for a quick hug, laughing at the shocked expression on my face.

"Don't be so surprised, Bella. I have a feeling that we are going to be the best of friends, so get used to my displays of affection. Now have a seat and tell me everything there is to know about Isabella Swan."

Her enthusiasm was contagious, and before I knew it, Alice had unearthed large chunks of my life history. I also heard stories of her childhood in Mississippi and college years at Gonzaga University. She even managed to rope me into a future shopping trip after a somewhat-subtle analysis of my wardrobe, which I tried not to take too personally. Of course I was very aware that I wasn't a fashionista, but I had put a lot of thought into the outfit I wore today. If Alice thought this was less than ideal, she would have a heart attack if she saw the other items in my closet. Of course if she was right about us being friends then I should probably amend that thought to _when_ she sees my closet. Even though I just met her, I wasn't willing to bet against Alice.

I started to feel guilty though when I realized almost an hour had passed and nothing business related had passed either of our lips.

"So I guess we should finally get around to discussing staffing opportunities, huh?"

"Oh, that was just a ruse to help you avoid Mike's advances," she responded with light laughter. "Your first staffing assignment is already locked in."

"Really?" I was surprised by Alice's statement as I understood that there was usually a lot of back and forth before assignments were finalized. The analyst's internal resume was sent to partner in charge of the project. Informal interviews were often held. A friend of mine who started with Volterra in Phoenix right after graduation didn't know her first assignment until the end of the two week training period.

"Oh, yes. Emmett specifically requested that you be staffed at Meyer. He says he won't take no for an answer from either of us. Speaking of one of my two favorite partners, can you go let him know that a group is meeting up at Twilight tonight? I would do it myself, but I need to make a quick phone call before we leave. Tell him to pass along the message to Rose as well."

"Sure, but who is Rose, if you don't mind me asking."

"Oh, that would be my other favorite partner," she replied with a grin.

"Wait, do you mean Rosalie Hale! The partner in charge of the Boeing account?" From the research I had done, I knew that Rosalie had a Masters in Mechanical Engineering _and_ a MBA degree. She took over the Boeing account from a partner who retired last year and had already sold six million dollars in new contracts. I also knew from the company website that Rose, as Alice called her, looked like a supermodel.

"Oh, someone has down her homework," Alice teased. "Rose is a dear friend of mine and will love you as well. In fact, we should invite her to go shopping with us."

"Wouldn't that be weird though? I mean she's a partner and I am a new analyst, in case you forgot."

"Oh, Silly Bella. Titles mean very little at this company. Yes, Rose may have more responsibilities than you and a lot more pressure on her shoulders, but that doesn't make her 'better' than you. She just happens to get paid a lot more money! Besides, I am sure you will get promoted to manager in a few years and then your own partner title won't be far behind."

I sarcastically thanked my new friend for the cheerleading session before leaving her to find Emmett. I knew from our tour earlier that the partners had space on the top floor of the building so I headed up the spiral staircase. As I approached Emmett's office, I could hear voices drift out of the partially opened door.

"Edward, I don't understand what has gotten into you. I can't believe we are having this conversation. You agreed with me last week when we were looking through the new employees' paperwork that she would be a great addition to our project team at Meyer. Her credentials are a perfect match for the role. What's the problem? Did she spit on you or something during your presentation this afternoon?"

"I just don't think she will fit in well with the team. She doesn't belong there."

"Well you need to get over yourself, because Bella will start at Meyer in two weeks and she will be reporting directly to you as the manager for the database architecture group."

My ears started ringing as I realized that Emmett and Edward were discussing _me_. I stopped in the middle of the hall as I fought to control the tears that were welling up in my eyes. The harsh tone of Edward's voice was unmistakable. He was obviously disgusted with the idea of the two of us working together. What had I done to so utterly offend him? Yes, I had stared a little too much during his presentation, but hell, so did Lauren and Jessica.

I needed to get out of there, but unfortunately I wasn't quick enough. After Emmett's last speech, Edward had stormed out of the office without another word. I was frozen in place as he cleared the door and his eyes met mine. He quickly snapped them away before spinning and heading down the hall in the opposite direction. For the second time that day, I watched a head of bronze hair walk away from me. Where the sight had made me curious before, I now only felt self pity.


	4. Mixed Signals

**Chapter Four: Mixed Signals**

I rushed to a nearby bathroom after my encounter with Edward, sagging against the door of a stall once I was safely hidden from prying eyes. I needed to collect my thoughts and emotions, plus I didn't want Emmett to know that I had overheard their conversation. When I returned to his office, he had thankfully stepped out so I was able to leave a note regarding tonight's plans.

Alice of course knew something was wrong as soon as I saw her again.

"Bella, what happened? Why do you look so upset?"

Although part of me wanted to confide in Alice so she could help sort out the whirlwind of emotions Edward had caused, the practical side of my mind won out. Despite her reassurances that we would be good friends in addition to co-workers, I wanted to keep our relationship as professional as possible for now. Plus, I wasn't willing to admit to myself, much less Alice, how much Edward affected me.

"Everything is fine. I think the stress of moving to a new city and starting my first real job has just caught up to me."

"Well Twilight is just the place to help you unwind. A few drinks and dancing is just what the doctor ordered. Rose called while you were gone and suggested that we meet up at her place in Belltown to grab some food and change. Her condo is within walking distance of the club. I always keep extra outfits there and the two of you are close enough in size that you can borrow something of Rose's."

All I really wanted to do at this point was curl up on my couch with a pint of Ben and Jerry's, but I didn't want to disappoint Alice. I also knew that social networking was an important part of a career with Volterra, so I would just have to bury the fact that Edward apparently hated me for some reason and try to enjoy the evening.

During the cab ride to Rose's downtown neighborhood, I finally let Alice bring up relationships, a topic I had completely vetoed back at the office under the guise of professionalism. As we drove down the many one-way streets in Seattle, I learned that Alice was single but on the lookout for Mr. Right.

"I know I will recognize him as my match as soon as I see him."

"So you believe in destiny or love at first sight or something like that?" I asked barely able to mask the skepticism in my voice.

"Not necessarily, but I do believe that things always work out like they are suppose to if we have patience and faith. It may not be an instant recognition for everyone – first impressions are sometimes wrong – but we all have the potential to discover passionate love and forever if we stay open to those ideals."

It seemed Alice was trying to communicate something beyond the words she spoke out loud, but I pushed that thought to the side for now.

"Well I for one plan to keep my heart closed for the foreseeable future. I just got out of a four year relationship that wasn't entirely healthy. I let Jake make decisions for me for way too long and started to feel suffocated in the end. I had always assumed we would marry one day, but it wasn't meant to be. I am beginning to think there is no 'happily ever after' in my future, but I am okay with that. I prefer being on my own."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire."

I blinked hard. Twice. Has this successful and sophisticated woman really just said that to me? Before I could respond, Alice continued.

"Bella, you don't have to give up yourself to be a part of a relationship. When you find true love, your partner will help expand your world, not narrow your life experiences. Although I don't know much about your relationship with this Jake guy, I am positive it wasn't true love. Your 'happily ever after' as you call it is still out there waiting for you."

"You have obviously seen the _Princess Bride _too many times," I joked. "Enough about my nonexistence love life. Tell me more about the client projects you worked on before taking over the staffing coordinator position?"

Alice started entertaining me with stories from her first two years working at Volterra, and before I knew it, we were standing in the hallway outside of Rose's penthouse. The door flung open before Alice even knocked, and I came face to face with a woman who belonged on the cover of magazines. Rose had temporarily changed into yoga pants and a simple t-shirt, but she still unconsciously oozed sex appeal. Blond hair escaped from a messy bun on the top of her head. Her blue eyes sparkled as she pulled us into the condo.

Rose grabbed first Alice and then me for a hug. Are all the residents of Seattle this touchy-feely with strangers?

"Bella, I am so pleased to finally meet you. From what both Emmett and Alice have told me, I am sure you will fit in wonderfully with our little group."

I managed to mumble a nervous "thanks" before following the two of them into the kitchen.

My anxiety at being in Rose's presence quickly evaporated however. Although a older and unarguably more successful, Rose really wasn't that different than me and I realized that we had similar tastes and interests. The three of us fell into easy conversation as we sipped glasses of wine and nibbled on the assortment of cheeses and meats that Rose had set out. I didn't even complain when they insisted on styling my hair and adding more make-up before we headed to the club. Rose had leant me a denim skirt and black off-the-shoulder top that was more revealing than I was normally comfortable with, but in comparison, I was showing less skin than either of them. Alice and Rose assured me that our attire was the norm for evenings at Twilight and that my professional image wouldn't be tainted – a concern I had expressed out loud repeatedly.

There was already a large group of Volterra employees at the club when we arrived, including the other five members of my orientation group. Lauren seemed annoyed that I was with Alice and Rosalie. She immediately latched onto Rose, no doubt with the intention of sharing all of her qualifications with another partner. Surely she wouldn't try to hit on Rose though. Then again, I wouldn't put anything past Lauren.

I was talking to Eric and Jessica when a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind and lifted me up.

"Bella, I am so glad you made it." Emmett exclaimed as I laughed at his antics. He obviously didn't feel the need to follow Volterra's sexual harassment policy too closely, but I didn't mind. The only vibes I got from Emmett were brotherly affection.

Rose used his entrance as an excuse to break away from Lauren and join our smaller circle. Emmett immediately put one of his large muscled arms around her shoulders. In Rose's case though, the possessiveness of the gesture was far from brotherly.

"Hey, babe. Why don't you join me while I get a drink from the bar? I have some private business to discuss." Emmett wiggled his eyebrows while delivering the line, but Rose just groaned in response to his implied discussion topic.

The two of them had barely walked away before Jessica was frantically motioning Alice over.

"So are those two like a couple? Isn't that against a company policy or something?"

"Not that it is really any of your business, but yes, Rose and Emmett are dating. They have been together for quite awhile, before she made partner last year. And although dating within the company is discouraged, the policy makers know better than to try and prevent it. When you work and play together as much as we do, relationships are bound to form. When it does happen, both parties just have to make sure it doesn't affect the business in any way and that no one appears to benefit professionally from the relationship."

Although she answered Jessica's questions, I could tell that Alice was extremely annoyed at the intrusion into Emmett and Rose's personal lives. I made a mental note to never get on her bad side.

I had learned of the relationship earlier in the evening and couldn't be happier for Rose and Emmett. They are probably the only ones who could handle the other.

Everyone returned to previous conversations and the night continued pleasantly. I was surprised at how much I was enjoying myself. I had met around a dozen new people and had completely forgotten about the earlier encounter with Edward, at least until I saw him across the club.

He had just walked in the door and was laughing at something. As the crowd thinned, I realized that Tanya was with him and that she was the one who put that glorious carefree smile on his face. My suspicion that they were a couple grew exponentially. I was tempted to seek confirmation from Alice, but decided against it as I was worried she would realize that my interest was more than innocent curiosity.

As they got close to our group, Edward's saw me for the first time and his expression changed instantaneously. Although I don't think anyone else picked up on it, the tension in his body language was palpable to me. He quickly whispered something in Tanya's ear before veering off to the bar on the other side of the room. Why did it seem that he was always walking away from me?

I could sense when Edward returned to the group later, but my back was to him. I was talking to Angela and Ben, an analyst who has been working on a project at Microsoft since joining the company the prior year. I couldn't help but notice how the two of them kept shooting shy glances at each other during the conversation. I guess Alice wasn't kidding when she alluded to Volterra being a breeding ground for office romance.

I was left alone when Ben finally got up the nerve to ask Angela to dance, but I didn't mind. I have always loved people watching. Unfortunately I noticed at that moment that Mike was heading my way. I had been trying to avoid him all evening, but I didn't see any way to politely extract myself from the situation now.

He grabbed my waist and started pulling me towards the middle of the club where a DJ was set up. "Come on Bella, let me show you my moves."

I frantically tried to think of an excuse to get me out of seeing Mike's "moves." I was already uncomfortable with how he was grasping my body. I shivered to think where those hands might roam once we were on the dance floor. I could see Alice talking to Tanya several yards away, but no matter how intently I stared at the back of her head, I couldn't will Alice to turn around and notice my panicked state. I was on my own this time.

"Mike… I, um, really appreciate the offer, but I actually don't dance. In case you didn't notice at the office today, I have trouble just walking." It was true. Even though I hadn't actually fallen down, I had tripped over imaginary objects three different times.

"Don't worry, Bella, I will hold on real tight," Mike replied in what he probably thought was a sexy voice, but his statement and tone just made me cringe.

I was pulling against him by this point, but he wasn't taking the hint. We seemed to be engaged in a warped version of tug-of-war using my body as the rope.

"Mike, seriously, let me go!" I practically yelled as I pried his fingers off my waist. I didn't mean to sound so harsh and almost felt guilty when I saw the look of hurt on Mike's face. Almost.

Although I am sure it wasn't for my benefit, Jessica thankfully savaged the situation and led Mike away. She somehow made it sound like he had asked her to dance instead of the other way around.

As I stood there recovering from the situation, I heard a light chuckle from my left side. I hadn't realized it before, but Edward was sitting alone at a nearby table nursing a beer. He wasn't looking in my direction, but I had the distinct feeling that he was laughing at me. I wanted to wipe that sexy smirk off his face, but before I could react, someone on my right side cleared his throat.

"Oh, hi Eric," I offered once I saw who was standing beside me.

"So are you having a good time, Bella?"

"For the most part," I replied. I was pretty sure that Eric had witnessed the scene that Mike and I caused. I think everyone in the bar looked our way when I yelled for him to let go.

"So, um, I was wondering if… I mean, would you like to… Bella, will you dance with me?" Eric finally got out.

I was shocked by his request. If Eric had previously sent "I'm interested in you" vibes my way, I had totally missed them.

"Um, Eric, didn't you hear me tell Mike that I don't dance?"

"Yeah, but I was hoping you meant that you just didn't want to dance with him. I couldn't help but notice the sparks between us though at work today. If you are really worried about falling down, maybe we could find a quiet corner to… you know… talk."

You have got to be kidding me. What is it with these guys?

"Eric, I don't want to dance and I certainly don't want to go somewhere else to 'talk.' I just want to do my job and hopefully make some friends at the company. And just to make sure you don't continue to misread my 'signals,' let me assure you that even if I change my mind and do want a romantic or even purely sexual relationship with a co-worker, I would not be calling you."

I lost steam by the end of my speech. I wasn't trying to embarrass Eric, even though I realized retrospectively that I had. I just wanted to be left alone.

Before rapidly retreating from my wrath, Eric stammered some kind of apologize as well as reassurances that he would keep our relationship purely professional from now on.

My breathing was starting to return to normal when I heard familiar laughter. It was much closer this time. I whipped around to find myself face-to-face with Edward Cullen.

It was the closest we had ever been physically and I could feel some sort of electricity pulsing between our bodies. I don't know if he felt it too, but Edward did take a step back and quickly replaced the surprised look on his face with his trademark crooked grin.

Although part of me, a large part in fact, wanted to reach out and touch Edward, my irritation with him outweighed any other emotion in that instance.

"What do _you_ want?" I hissed at him.

Much to my annoyance, he laughed again before replying. "So do you really not dance?"

Edward quickly continued when he saw what I am sure was a murderous expression on my face. "Trust me, I am not asking you to. I was just wondering if you only used that as an excuse or if you really don't dance."

I wanted to be mad at him. Or yell at him. Or just walk away after what he said to Emmett back at the office and how he laughed at my distress just now, but I couldn't. Even if the carefree twinkle that was currently in his eyes disappeared and the tension and brooding returned, I would stay. I would even listen again to his harsh tone from earlier and subject myself to more icy glares just to be near him. I would stay until _he_ walked away, which I was sure would happen any minute now. The back of his head was a sight I had come to expect.

I realized that Edward was waiting for a response, and because I wanted him to stay, I pushed away the hurt and confusion still swirling in my head and answered him.

"I seriously have two left feet so it is safer for everyone if I keep to the sidelines. When I have tried in the past, I tend to spend more time stepping on my partner's feet than actually dancing."

"Maybe you just haven't found the right partner."

I think he belatedly realized as I did how his statement could be interpreted, so Edward quickly changed the subject.

"Look, I am sorry for what happened back at the office. I never intended to hurt you in any way. My rudeness is inexcusable."

"Are you sorry for what you said or that you caught?" I hadn't meant to reply so defensively, but the words escaped my lips before I could stop them. To my surprise, Edward laughed again.

"Good question. Both I suppose. To be perfectly honest, I still have my own reasons for thinking it would be better if you weren't staffed at Meyer, but since it looks like we will be working together regardless, I would like to propose a fresh start. Please try to forget my behavior from earlier today. I would sincerely like for us to have a good working relationship."

I was starting to get whiplash from Edward's changing moods and erratic behavior. Although I was desperate to ask him what his reasons were, I didn't think this was the time or place. I could only hope that I would eventually decipher the mystery that was Edward Cullen.

"Okay, Edward. I am willing to put today behind us. Friends then?" I asked lightly as I offered my hand in a gesture of reconciliation.

His expression changed once again as Edward looked at my outstretched hand without taking it.

"I am sorry, Bella. I think you misunderstood. I was acknowledging that we needed to have a civil working relationship. I don't think it is a good idea for us to be friends."

With that last statement, Edward turned around and walked away. Again.


	5. Party Shoes

**Chapter Five: Party Shoes**

The rest of my first week at Volterra passed by quickly and uneventfully. Training was excruciatingly boring at times, but bearable. The highlight of each day was going to lunch with Alice and learning more about my new friend. Rose was even able to join us on Thursday for a little bonding time.

I hadn't seen Edward since Monday night at Twilight. I assumed he was spending all of his time at Meyer. Our different encounters from that first day kept playing over and over in my head, but I still couldn't make sense of his behavior. I obviously repulsed him for some unknown reason, so I resigned myself that civility was an acceptable goal for our relationship. I just wished I wasn't so damn attracted to him physically.

Alice seemed to have picked up on the tension between Edward and me that night, but thankfully didn't bring it up. She even let me off the hook when I came up with an excuse each evening for not returning to the club. Although I did need to finish unpacking and complete all the other mundane tasks associated with moving to a new place, the truth was that I wanted to put off the possibility of running into Edward again. Of course I knew that another meeting was inevitable and bound to happen sooner or later.

Apparently it would be sooner as I was invited to the party that Emmett was throwing Saturday evening to wine and dine the Meyer executives in the hope of selling more work at the bank. Invite might not be quite the right choice of words though. All of the Volterra employees staffed at Meyer, even those like Lauren, Mike, and I who hadn't even started yet, were required to attend. I was beginning to wish I could have been assigned to the Boeing project like the other three members of our training group.

The senior office staff like Alice and Tanya were invited as well since they interacted with all of the local clients, and of course Rose would be there as Emmett's date. As a result, my pixie friend spent our entire lunch hour on Friday insisting that we go shopping the next day for new outfits and wouldn't even listen to my protests that I could just wear my trusty black cocktail dress.

"Bella, seriously, I saw that little number in your closet when I was at your apartment Wednesday night and was horrified that you even own a polyester blend. If I had known you would try to wear it to a Volterra event, I would have lit that excuse for a dress on fire right then and there."

"Alice, we obviously need to set some parameters for our friendship if you think it is acceptable to burn my things. And when did you have a chance to look through my closet? I was purposefully trying to keep you out of there because I knew something like this might happen."

"It was when you stepped into the kitchen to answer your mom's phone call. And did you really think you I wasn't going to assess your clothing collection the first chance I got? There is no way I am letting you go to the party tomorrow in anything that you currently own, unless you have a Vera Wang hidden in the back of the closet that I didn't see."

"Okay, fine, you win. I will let you and Rose pick out something for me tomorrow, but I get veto power."

"Sure, sure, Bella, whatever you say. But we will have to hit the mall early because our appointments at Gene Juarez are booked for 2:00."

This was the first I had heard about a trip to the spa. I had absolutely no desire to get plucked and waxed, but all of the fight in me was gone so I just continued eating my salad while Alice gloated.

I groaned though when my alarm went off the next morning. I couldn't believe I was getting up that early on a Saturday especially considering the day's agenda consisted of shopping, spa appointments, and a semi-formal party. About the only things lower on my list of ideal ways to spend a weekend day were cleaning out gutters and getting a cavity filled.

Alice of course was positively beaming when I opened my apartment door to her an hour later. My new friend had entirely too much energy for the ungodly hour, but she was smart enough to have picked up a couple of lattes before retrieving me for a day of torture.

"Let's go, Bella. Rose is just going to meet us there since Pacific Place is so close to her condo."

Much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed visiting the downtown shopping center with the girls. They both have great tastes and I liked almost everything they picked out for me to try on. My shopping bags were overflowing with two new pairs of shoes and several work outfits, but I didn't have anything yet to wear to that night's event. Alice had already selected a beautiful pleated dress with a beaded waist. The lavender color compiled her skin tone and dark hair. Rose had chosen a black halter dress with a fitted skirt and ridiculously low plunging neckline that only she could pull off at a work event. I had also tried on several things, but nothing seemed quite right.

"This is the one, Bella, I know it," Alice exclaimed with absolute certainty.

The silk wrap dress she held out was simple, but very elegant. It was sleeveless with a fluid A-line skirt and soft pleats on one side. I especially liked the rich blue color. After confirming that the dress fit perfectly, the girls dragged me back to Nordstrom's shoe department and somehow convinced me to buy three inch heels with thin straps. These new friends were going to be the death of me – literally. I just knew I would fall down the stairs tonight and break my neck. They of course assured me that the fashion statement would be worth any potential pain.

After enduring two hours of spa treatments, we headed to Rose's condo to get ready for the evening. Once again, they took over doing my make-up and hair. I decided it was easier to comply than complain as I knew Alice in particular would get her way regardless.

"So, why aren't you two coming with dates tonight?" Rose asked while applying her own make-up. Alice responded first.

"I was originally planning to go with Tyler, my always reliable default date, but I called him back yesterday and let him know I decided to arrive stag instead. He was actually relieved at he had wanted to ask Lauren, who he saw in the office earlier this week. I briefly considered letting him know what a bitch she is, but figured it was better for him to discover that little personality flaw on his own."

"Alice, I really hope you didn't cancel your plans with Tyler to keep me company. Just because there wasn't a possibility of me having a date doesn't mean you shouldn't have fun." I really hated the idea of Alice changing her plans on my behalf.

"Oh, Bella, you give me too much credit. I didn't cancel my plans with Tyler because of you, although it wouldn't have matter if I did as the two of us are just friends. No, I had a dream the other night that I entered the party alone but left extremely happy. The exact details of the dream are unclear, but I woke up with such an overwhelming feeling of contentment and peace that I knew I couldn't ignore the premonition."

I didn't have the heart to remind Alice that dreams have little bearing on real life, but I wouldn't have had the chance anyway as she continued with her explanation.

"Besides, it's ridiculous to say you didn't have a date possibility. I am sure either Mike or Eric would have been happy to escort you despite how completely you shut them down at Twilight the other night." Alice let out a little giggle with her assessment. I just groaned at the idea.

"I can think of at least one more person who would love to be Bella's date, although he would never admit it," Rose added with a knowing smirk.

"Do I even want to know who you are talking about?" I had met a lot of men at the office over the past week. Had one of them said something to Rose?

"Oh, all in good time."

I didn't have the chance to question Rose farther as her cell phone beeped to signify an incoming text.

"It looks like Emmett is here even earlier than planned. He must really want to make sure he is at the Columbia Tower before any of the Meyer executives arrive. I will see you guys there."

Rose grabbed her wrap and gave us a parting wave before heading out the door. Alice and I had decided to wait and arrive later, so we had a couple of cocktails compliments of Rose's well stocked bar before calling a taxi.

I knew that Volterra had rented out the entire Columbia Tower Club on the 75th floor of the building, but I still wasn't prepared for the opulence of the event. Waiters greeted us with champagne as we stepped off the elevator. The space was already beautifully decorated, but large arrangements of flowers and overflowing buffet tables just added to the ambiance. In addition to the generous array of appetizers and desserts being offered, there were several bars shattered around the room. The lights were lowered and a string quartet played soft background music.

Alice and I were walking through the room looking for Emmett and Rose to let them know we had arrived when she suddenly stopped. I glanced at my friend curious to know the reason for her odd behavior and was shocked at the complete look of wonderment on her face. I followed her line of sight and then my own heart stopped briefly for a moment.

About fifteen feet away from us stood Edward talking to another man. He looked absolutely stunning in a black suit and slate blue dress shirt. Instead of a tie, the top button was undone and I could glimpse a hint of his toned chest. Although Edward had obviously tried to tame his hair, the bronze strands still stood in all directions. Without my permission, heat pooled between my legs.

"God, isn't he the most gorgeous man you have ever seen?"

"Mmm," was the only sound I managed in response to Alice's question.

"I could lose myself in those blue eyes." I started to agree with my friend until it occurred to me that she couldn't be referring to Edward's deep green orbs.

"Wait, who are you talking about?"

"The blond man talking to Edward of course. Why, who did _you_ think I was talking about?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow.

I avoided her question with one of my own. "Do you know who he is?"

"I don't know his name, but I have a feeling that he is my happily ever after." The certainty in her voice was astonishing. I watched in awe as my friend walked confidently over to the tall stranger and slid her arm around his waist. He didn't seem surprised at all, but just returned her silent greeting with a smile.

Although Alice had interrupted their conversation, Edward seemed to recognize he was intruding on a private moment, so he quietly stepped away from the couple and started in my direction. He finally noticed me when he was a mere three feet away. He paused and a strange look came over his face.

"You look lovely tonight, Bella," Edward rushed out in one breath before continuing along his original path. His tone had seemed warm for once, but he obviously still didn't want to spend any more time in my presence than was absolutely necessary.

I made my way through the room saying hi to a few people I already knew including Rose. Emmett found me at one point and introduced me to several Meyer employees that I would be working with before needing to excuse himself. I was having a good time, but started to get a little claustrophobic like I often do in crowds. I had just made my way to the side of the room for a little air when I felt someone's hand on the small of my back.

"Sorry to bother you, but I couldn't resist coming over to introduce myself. You look like a vision in that dress."

The speaker had turned his body slightly so he was now partially in front of me, but let his hand linger on my back a little longer before dropping it to his side. His build was a cross between Edward's long, lean body and Emmett's mass of muscles. Everything about him, from his clothes to his wavy hair to his facial features, was extremely sexy. Although my body didn't react to him in the same way as Edward, I definitely didn't mind his close proximity. The intensity of his stare did make me a little wary, but I decided to bury that feeling for now and just enjoy being in this man's presence.

"I'm James Tracker, a Volterra manager working at Meyer."

I knew from Emmett that there were a total of five managers including Edward working for him on the Meyer project, each leading one of the sub-teams.

"It nice to meet you. I'm Bella Swan."

"Oh, I know. Trust me, I have made it my business to know all about you Ms. Swan. I just wish that I needed another new analyst on my team right now as I would love nothing more than for you to be working under me."

With his last words, James reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear that had escaped my up-do. My mind couldn't decide whether I should object to how his hand caressed my cheek in the process or whether I should be secretly thrilled at the obvious double-meaning of his words. I had meant what I said to both Alice and Eric about not wanting to get involved with anyone right now, especially a co-worker, but there was just something dangerous and alluring about James that I couldn't ignore.

Before I could consider the situation further, someone behind me loudly cleared his voice demanding my attention.

"Bella, I need to talk to you right _now_," Edward insisted while completely ignoring James.

"Cullen, you are interrupting a private moment and I am sure I speak for Bella when I say we would like to be left alone." James' harsh tone matched Edward. There was obviously bad blood between them for some reason.

"It wasn't a request, James. I will speak to Bella now whether you like it or not. And you need to keep in mind that Bella will be working for me, not you." Edward spitted out as he grabbed my elbow and pulled me away.

The shock from his touch sent a shiver through my body. Under different circumstances, I would be thrilled to have his hand on my bare arm, but at that moment I was livid.

"What the hell, Edward!"

"Stay away from James." His voice was tight like he was trying to control some emotion.

"Where do you get off trying to tell me who I can and cannot associate with? Emmett may have assigned you to be my supervisor at Meyer, but you damn well don't own me!"

Edward pulled me closer to the window as the anger in my voice was starting to draw stares from the mingling crowd. "Please trust me, Bella, when I say that it's best for you to avoid him."

"You think _you_ know what's best for me?" I asked incredulously. "You don't even _know me_. And you don't want to be my friend, so stop acting like you are looking out for my best interests. If there is a reason for me to not like James, then I will figure that out on my own."

"I never said I didn't want to be your friend," Edward responded so quietly I barely heard him. "I just said it wasn't a good idea for us to be friends."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore, because honestly, I don't want to even look at you right now much less anything else."

Okay, that was an absolute lie, but my anger over the whole situation with Edward was finally bubbling over. For once, I wanted to be the one to walk away, so I spun on my heel with the intention of getting as far away from Edward as possible.

Unfortunately, my three inch heel – damn you, Alice – got caught on the rug in my haste to depart and I found myself falling forward. I closed my eyes waiting for the impact, but my body never hit the floor. Instead it was cradled against a strong chest.

Edward had lunged forward as I was falling and managed to catch me. One arm was wrapped around my upper body dangerously close to my breasts while his other hand had grabbed my thigh. Although the fabric of my dress was between both points of contact, my skin in those spots felt like it was on fire. The heat quickly spread to the rest of my body as I turned in Edward's arm to face him. His breath washed over me and I thought I might lose consciousness right then and there. His eyes were boring into mine, but at the same time, he had this glazed-over expression like his mind was somewhere else. I don't know how long we stayed in that awkward position with him leaned forward on one leg still supporting all of my weight. Long enough at least for me to forget why I was so angry at him only moments before.

Edward shifted slightly and our noses were now almost touching. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but I involuntarily closed me eyes as I drew in his heady scent.

"Oh my gosh, Bella, are you okay?" Alice's bell-like voice rang in my ear.

And just like that, the spell was broken. Edward quickly placed me back on my feet and nervously shoved his hands in his pant pockets. He wouldn't meet my eyes.

Although I knew she was only concerned, I couldn't help but internally berate my friend for interrupting. But what had she interrupted? I couldn't define the moment that had just passed between Edward and me, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

"I'm fine, Alice. It was only a matter of time before I tripped in these ridiculous shoes you insisted I buy." I held out one leg to remind her of the offending item, flexing my calf muscle in the process. I was surprised when I heard Edward's breathing hitch beside me.

For a brief moment, I let myself imagine he felt the same intensity and pull that I experienced whenever we were near each other. That maybe his body reacted in the same way as mine. But I quickly pushed that delusional idea to the far corners of my brain. Edward was, well, Edward, and we would never be in the same league even if he wasn't a co-worker or already had a girlfriend, who of course happened to be absolutely gorgeous.

I realized belatedly that Alice had not approached us alone after witnessing my near fall. She was holding the hand of the blond man we saw earlier. Edward saw their entwined fingers at the same time that I did.

"Alice, I didn't realize that you knew Jasper, although I should have guessed considering how you approached us earlier."

"Actually, I don't, or I guess I should say I didn't," Alice replied while staring into Jasper's eyes. If I didn't know any better, I would have said the expression was one of love.

Edward looked utterly confused, and the other two were completely lost in each other's gazes, so I decided to take control of the situation.

"Hi, I'm Bella Swan," I stated while extending my hand to the man who had obviously captured Alice's heart.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. How rude of me. I'm Jasper Whitlock and it's a pleasure to meet one of Alice's best friends. She has already told me so much about you, Bella."

"Jazz is the VP of Marketing at Meyer, but his real passion is civil war history. He grew up in Texas, but has been in the Seattle area since starting at UW ten years ago. He and Edward have actually known each other since college." Alice gushed and then added with a wink, "and for your information, Bella, Jasper also believes in happily ever after and premonitions."

Wow, the girl works fast. Edward on the other hand was still struggling to come up to speed. I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face.

"So, Jasper, does that mean you also arrived dateless per destiny's decree?"

"It's funny you should ask that. A co-worker had set me up with his sister for the evening, but Maria called right before I was leaving to pick her up to say she had come down with a sudden and severe stomach flu. So, yes, I guess it was destiny's hand that made sure I arrived alone."

I had meant it as a joke and so was taken back by Jasper's response. If there was some cosmic love force out there, it certainly wasn't intervening on my behalf. All this talk about dates though did remind me of something.

"Edward, I haven't seen Tanya. Could she not make it?"

He seemed surprised at my question, but answered anyway. "Actually she and her sister Kate made plans months ago to throw their mom a surprise 50th birthday tonight. Why do you ask?"

"I just figured Tanya would want to be here if she was free. She must be disappointed that you couldn't make her mom's party."

"Well, I was planning on being there originally as Irina is like a second mother to me, but I know she will understand that work sometimes needs to take precedence."

Edward still seemed confused by my line of questioning, so I decided to drop the subject. Although I was happy we were having a somewhat normal conversation for once without the usual anger or tension, I really didn't want to hear about how close Edward was to his girlfriend's family.

Alice had been talking to Jasper in a hushed tone, but suddenly turned her attention back to me.

"Um, Bella, I hope you don't mind, but Jasper offered to give me a ride home tonight. Sorry to bail on you." Alice's eyes were apologetic but also eager to gain my understanding, which I freely gave. She had planned on staying at my place after the party, but we could reschedule our late-night girl bonding for another time. I had a feeling Jasper wouldn't just be dropping her off in front of her building and waving good-bye from the car.

"No worries, Alice. I will just grab a cab by myself."

"Oh, there's no need for that. Edward actually lives near you in Fremont. He can probably take you home. Right, Edward?" It didn't seem like Alice had an ulterior motive for suggesting that Edward and I leave together. I hoped that meant she didn't realize the affect he had on me.

"Well…um…" Edward's momentary hesitation was the only sign I needed that giving me a ride in his car was the last thing he wanted to do.

"No really, it's okay. I am sure Edward needs to stay awhile longer to shmooze the Meyer executives and I am actually pretty tired. I can't wait to get home and out of these shoes." I had gotten out my cell phone and pulled up the number for Yellow Taxi before Alice could object further.

"Enjoy the rest of the night, everyone." I said casually before my call was connected to the dispatch operator and I moved towards the exit. My eyes swept over the trio quickly, but I didn't focus on Edward. I am sure I would have seen an immense look of relief on his face if I had.


	6. Shifting World

**Chapter Six: Shifting World**

"So if there aren't any more questions, we can wrap things up early today so you can go on and start your Fourth of July weekends. You will just need to complete a survey about your orientation and training experience so that we can continue to improve our process for bringing new employees on board."

Everyone else was excited at Tanya's announcement, but I just groaned internally. Now I definitely wouldn't have an excuse for not going to Twilight tonight. Alice had pretty much made me promise I would anyway so we could catch up. Between her abnormally busy work schedule this week and spending almost every night in Jasper's company, I had barely seen my new friend since the party the previous Saturday. The only exception was Wednesday evening when a group of us went out to our favorite club to celebrate Angela's birthday.

Edward wasn't at Twilight that night, but I had seen him during the day on Wednesday. At Emmett's suggestion, he had come to the Volterra office to meet with Mike and me since both of us would be on his team at Meyer. The purpose of the meeting was to give us some additional background about the project and our respective roles before we started working at the client site the following Monday.

Edward was cordial but impersonal during the meeting. He didn't refer to Saturday night or any of our other previous encounters. Mike seemed to be trying to counter Edward's seriousness with a constant stream of light banter. He even playfully winked at me one time while making an inside joke. Although his overly friendly nature still rubbed me the wrong way at times, I had gotten used to Mike and knew he was completely harmless.

Edward on the other hand seemed to dislike him for some reason, shooting Mike icy glares every so often during our meeting. Considering the way Edward also treated me at times, I was beginning to think maybe the guy was just a jerk. Of course Alice, Emmett, and Rose all considered him a good friend, and I wanted to trust their judgment. Something though definitely seemed to be putting Edward in a bad mood lately, and as egotistical as it sounds, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was somehow the source of his troubles.

More realistically, I probably never crossed Edward's mind outside of what was necessary due to our work relationship. Unfortunately, _he_ was on _my_ mind a lot more than I would like to admit, but even more disturbing was how often he appeared in my dreams.

Just last night, my dream was so vivid that my unconscious mind expected to find Edward by my side when I woke up. We were in a conference room and a status meeting had just wrapped up. As everyone else was leaving, Edward asked me to stay so we could discuss a report. The next thing I knew, he had me on the conference table and his body was pushed hard between my legs. Edward was sliding his talented fingers up under my skirt while attacking my neck, sucking and licking down to my collarbone. I remember moaning his name over and over again as our clothes were removed and Edward continued his ministrations. Dream Edward had my body worked into an absolute frenzy and I was just finding release when my damn alarm clock went off.

Only deep breathing exercises and my removable shower head – not necessarily in that order – helped to _eventually _return my heart rate to its normal pace. The strange part was that no matter how erotic my nighttime fantasies were, Edward and I never actually kissed on the lips in my dreams. Apparently even the deep recesses of my brain recognized that Edward and I would never truly be intimate with each other.

"So Bella, I can't make it to Twilight later tonight as I am catching a flight to Spokane to visit my brother for the holiday weekend, but you still owe me that dinner. Please say you will go with me to grab a bite of food before I leave for the airport. I promise to be on my best behavior." Mike managed to produce a wide smile and puppy dog eyes at the same time. How could I resist that?

"Fine, as long as you realize that we are only going as friends."

"Of course, of course!"

I wouldn't have thought it possible, but his smile got even wider.

"Let me just text Alice that I am leaving with you and will meet her at the club later." I felt a little silly sending her an electronic message when Alice was only about 20 feet away, but I knew she had conference calls scheduled all afternoon and I didn't want to interrupt.

Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed the early dinner with Mike. He had me laughing hysterically throughout the meal with tales of all the trouble he and his brother used to get into back home. I didn't even mind the stories from his frat days at Washington State University.

"So, any chance you might send me off to the airport with a goodnight kiss?" My co-worker asked as we left the restaurant.

"Mike…" I started with an obvious warning in my voice.

"Forget I asked. I know you don't feel the same attraction I do, Bella, but you can't blame a guy for trying. You know, Ms. Swan, one of these days you are going to wake up and realize you let a good one get away."

I appreciated that Mike was trying to lighten the mood after his slightly indecent proposal. After saying good-bye to him, with only a friendly side hug, I called Alice to see where she was at. I didn't really feel like going all the way home just to turn around and come back downtown an hour later. I had purposefully dressed in an outfit that could go from day to evening with only a few adjustments, so I didn't really need to change.

"Bella, I was just thinking about you. How was dinner with Mike? Did he bust out one of his famous moves?"

"Not exactly, but he hasn't entirely given up. I know I shouldn't encourage him, but the boy does make me laugh. The good news is that I think I finally convinced him over dinner to ask out Jessica for an actual date so hopefully that will take the pressure off of me to 'make his day'."

"Well at least you got dinner out of him. I got stuck at the office and am starving. Any chance you would want to meet up at Twilight early? I am sure I could fill up on their happy hour appetizer specials."

"Sounds good to me. I will see you there in fifteen minutes."

Alice wasn't kidding about being hungry. Somehow my tiny friend polished off two orders of buffalo wings and a whole plate of nachos. Not the healthiest dinner, but it did ramp her energy back up to its normal hyper level. Unfortunately that ended up being bad news for me.

"Come on, Bella, let's hit the dance floor."

"Alice, we have been over this before. Isabella Marie Swan does not dance. I would either trip or just look like I was having a seizure if I got out there."

"I am sure you are grossly over-exaggerating, but even if you aren't, who cares? No one else we know will be here for awhile, so I can teach you a few moves if needed. You, my friend, need to let your proverbial hair down and have a little fun!"

Alice grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the middle of the club. I had a strange sense of déjà vu, but knew that even though Alice was about half the size of Mike, I had no chance of winning this particular battle. What Alice wants, she usually gets, even if it results in embarrassment for me.

"Okay, first of all, I think you are overly concerned with tripping. You don't even have to necessarily move your feet that much. Just let the music help direct your body's movements. Here, like this."

Alice put her hands on my hips and helped me move to the music. I closed my eyes and just tried to feel the beat like she suggested. Dancing felt almost natural for once. Of course it helped that I wasn't trying to impress my partner or worrying that anyone else I knew was watching.

"Not bad, Swan. Now if I was a guy, this would be a good time to put your hands on his shoulders or around his neck. Try it."

I should have felt silly dancing with Alice like this, but she was putting me completely at ease and I did really need the practice. It took me a moment to get my groove back now that my hands weren't free, but I was learning how to recognize the slight chances in Alice's movements and mirror them so that we were dancing in sync. I even managed to move my feet some and not step on her toes.

"Hey, beautiful." I was so engrossed in our Dancing 101 session that I hadn't noticed Jasper coming up behind Alice. He grabbed her hips and started swaying with us to the music.

"Hey, babe," Alice replied as she kissed the cheek Jasper had rested on her shoulder. "Did you just get here?"

"Actually, we have been here awhile," Jasper answered sheepishly. "I must admit it was pretty hot watching my girlfriend dance with another woman."

Wow, did he just call Alice his girlfriend? Wait, did he just say 'we'?

I turned slightly and there was Edward standing near us on the dance floor. He had another strange look on his face, but did give me a slow crooked smile. What was he thinking? Something about Edward Cullen made me desperately wish I had the ability to read minds.

"Here, Edward, take over Bella's dance lesson. I want to give my boyfriend a proper hello."

Alice dropped my waist and flew into Jasper's arms. With any other couple, the difference in their heights would have made dancing almost comical. But Jasper and Alice just seemed to fit together. I was really happy for my friend, even though I felt at that moment that she had thrown me to the wolves, or at least one wolf in particular.

I should have made an excuse to leave the dance floor as quickly as possible, but my brain and body weren't cooperating. Between the wine at dinner, the cosmo while Alice was chowing on appetizers, and the sight of Edward looking too sexy for his own good, I was frozen in place, trapped by my inability to form a coherent sentence or even retreat without saying anything at all.

Edward was standing as still as I was. From the expression on his face, it seemed like he was trying to make some decision. Then he shrugged his shoulders as if he was resigned to one choice over another and moved closer to me.

"So, Alice succeeded in luring you out here? Did she threaten or go the bribery route? Maybe promise a shopping trip for the weekend?

I couldn't help but laugh. "For me, shopping would be the threat, not the bribe."

"Really? You're friends with Alice and Rose and don't like to shop. Did the world flip on its axis when I wasn't looking?" Edward teased.

"I guess they manage to overlook what they probably see as a major personality flaw."

"So, what would be a tempting bribe for you, Ms. Swan?"

"Umm... I have never really thought about it. Maybe a membership to the Seattle Art Museum or tickets to see a play? Pretty boring, huh?"

"No, not at all" was Edward's only reply.

We had both been unconsciously moving to the music during our conversation, but I suddenly felt awkward and very aware of how close Edward's body was to mine.

"I think I'll go get another drink from the bar," I stammered as I started to move away.

"Oh no, you don't." His face had turned from serious to teasing again. "Alice would never forgive me if I neglected my dance instructor duties. Now if I am not mistaken, she was showing you the typical stance where the guy holds the girl's waist."

Edward's tone was casual and his words almost clinical like I really was taking a class, but that didn't stop the jolt of electricity from shooting through my body when his hands slightly touched my waist. Without any conscious thought, my arms went to his shoulders like they belonged there.

We swayed to the music, our bodies getting closer and closer. Whenever Edward dipped slightly, my body naturally followed. For once, I wasn't thinking. I was just enjoying the moment and the sensations coursing through me.

"You're a fast learner, Bella" was whispered softly as Edward touched his forehead to mine.

"I guess I have a good teacher," I replied automatically, surprised that my voice sounded almost husky.

Edward broke eye contact and cleared his throat. "Maybe we should try a different stance."

The clinical tone was back, but I didn't mind. It was better than the strange tension from a moment earlier. Edward spun me around so that my back was to his chest. His hands slipped down onto my hips for a second, but then quickly came back to my waist. My limbs weren't quite cooperating as I had trouble finding the right beat again, so Edward took control. He strengthened his grasp and started guiding my body along with his. There was a thin layer of air between us, but I could still feel the heat radiating from him. I had to stop myself from letting go completely and leaning into Edward. It was a tough battle considering my mind was in overdrive imagining the two of us in a similar position minus clothes and an audience. I just hoped that the club was dark enough that no one could notice the blush on my cheeks or lust in my eyes.

The song ended and Edward suggested we join Alice and Jasper who were now at the bar. As we walked towards them, the next song came pounding through the speakers - "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry. I started laughing involuntarily.

"What?" Edward asked with a confused look on his face.

I should have told him a lie, but decided to be bold for once.

"Okay, don't take this the wrong way because I am definitely _not_ trying to imply anything about our relationship, but I kind-of think of this as your theme song considering how you have acted around me the last two weeks."

Edward considered my words for a moment before producing a familiar grin, which had become my favorite look on him.

"I guess I do deserve that. I know my behavior has been strange and I am sorry for that. I just have trouble sometimes integrating new…co-workers into my life. From experience, I have learned that it is better to keep a firm line in place between the professional and personal. Although I make an appearance at Twilight often for networking purposes, I usually try to avoid getting too close with co-workers. Of course as you probably know, there are a few Volterra employees who are very important to me so I haven't completely shut myself off. And despite what I said last week, I would like for the two of us to try and be friends…"

I didn't hear the end of Edward's sentence as he trailed off to barely a whisper. It sounded like he mumbled "because I am tired of trying to stay away from you", but that couldn't have been it. Whatever it was, I don't think he meant for me to hear.

"Edward, I would really like for us to be friends too, especially considering how much we will probably be thrown together after hours now that Jasper and Alice are dating."

"Yeah, it's funny. I have been trying to convince Jasper to come to Twilight forever, but he always joked that I was the only Volterra employee he could stand so we have usually hang out together at other places instead. Then tonight, he practically dragged me out of the bank once he got Alice's text that she was here."

"We decided to come early since Alice hadn't eaten yet and apparently she has a thing for the buffalo wings here."

"I must admit I didn't expect you to be with her. Weren't you out with Mike?"  
"How did you know that?"

"I was on a conference call with Alice this afternoon when she got your text."

"Oh. Yes, we went to dinner, but then he needed to catch a flight," I replied right before we joined Alice and Jasper at the bar.

I could have clarified that Mike and I just went to dinner as friends, but thought better of it. I didn't want Edward to know how much I lusted after him, especially now that it looked like we were going to try and be friends. There was no need to make him uncomfortable, and I didn't want to piss off Tanya if she happened to learn of my feelings. Thinking back on the past two weeks, it was obvious that Edward had guessed his affect on me and that was why he alternated between avoiding me and being rude. He understandably didn't want to deal with a co-worker's silly crush. If Edward thought I also had a significant other, then maybe the work/personal relationship between us would be more natural.

There was only one problem with my plan. Up until now, the attraction I felt for Edward was purely physical. In fact, what I knew of his personality detracted from my feelings for him. But as the four of us sat and talked that night, there was a shift in my world that I was utterly unprepared for.

I learned about Edward's family and interests outside of work. That he was an only child and extremely close to his parents who lived nearby. That, like me, he loved classical music and a wide variety of books. With prompting from Alice, he even admitted to playing the piano himself.

I also saw how Edward interacted with his two friends, who are very different despite the fact that Alice and Jasper have found such contentment with each other. Edward joked with his best friend since college and told funny stories about their past that while not always painting Jasper in the best light, were not shared with the intention of hurting or embarrassing his longtime friend. Edward also had a great relationship with Alice. They teased each other relentlessly, but the deep affection the two held for the other was obvious.

I was seeing so many different sides of Edward. The passion he held for the people and things that he loved. His sense of humor that was subtle at times and then the next moment ridiculously warped. The way Edward would stop and think when asked a question instead of just blurting out the first thing that came to mind; I'd never met someone who so committed to giving a conversation his complete attention and thought.

The more I learned about Edward Cullen, the more I craved his mind and soul in addition to his body. The unimaginable was happening. I was falling hard for this man who was unattainable for so many different reasons. And starting on Monday, I was somehow suppose to work side-by-side with him day-after-day while keeping these feelings under wraps.

I was so screwed.


	7. Old Ties & New Beginnings

**Chapter Seven: Old Ties, New Beginnings**

"So what book are you looking for exactly?" Alice asked while scanning the wooden shelves.

"Nothing in particular," I replied after closing a pictorial history of Seattle I had been flipping through.

"So why are we here then?"

"Because I let you drag me to even more clothing and shoe stores today than last Saturday, so this is my reward."

I sat in a large, well-worn leather chair after finding a copy of my favorite book of poetry. Elliott Bay Book Company had quickly become my favorite haunt in the city. I had discovered the independent bookstore in the Pioneer Square district during a lunchtime walk the prior week.

Alice seemed resigned that we would be here awhile, so she took the seat next to me after grabbing a _Vogue_ from the magazine section.

"So I told him 'I love you' last night," my friend threw out casually while perusing a spread on the newest fashion trends for fall.

Of course I knew who she was talking about. "And what was Jasper's response?"

Alice turned to me with a radiant smile and glistening eyes, her face shining with pure happiness. "That he loved me as well. That he knew since I first walked up to him at the party. That he had been waiting his whole life for us to find each other and that he was sorry he unknowingly kept me waiting so long."

"Alice, I am so happy for both of you," I gushed sincerely while giving her a hug.

"Bella, he's 'The One.' And I know that sounds crazy to say with such confidence after only one week, but I just can't imagine my life without Jasper. We connect on every level. He has evoked these feelings in me that I never knew were possible. And, god, the things that man can do with his body…" Alice trailed off with a glazed expression.

"And just how would you know that, Ms. Brandon? I thought you guys decided to take the physical part of your relationship slowly," I teased.

"Well… umm… you see, last night…" For once Alice was the one turning crimson instead of me. I had never seen her at a loss for words before.

"No need to go into details. I can only imagine what all that talk of amore did to your libidos," I said with a chuckle before continuing. "You know, with anyone else, I would definitely think it was too early in the relationship to even allude to 'the rest of your lives,' but you had already convinced me that you would know your match as soon as you saw him. I guess this is just another example of one of your premonitions coming true."

Much to my chagrin, I was starting to believe that maybe Alice did have some amazing ability to predict the future. Of course I would never tell her that.

"Yes, but remember I also said that not everyone clicks right away. That some people need a little time to realize they are meant to be together."

I wasn't sure how I was supposed to respond to that, so I didn't. Alice though was looking at me expectedly.

"You may not want to hear this, Bella, but I have a feeling—"

Alice's confession, or whatever it was, was cut off by a ringing from my purse. I gave her an apologetic look before fumbling through my bag. I was stunned when I glimpsed the caller id. Although not programmed into my new phone, I definitely knew the string of ten digits.

"How did you get this number?"

"Well, hello to you too, Bella," the voice teased, apparently not picking up on my annoyance or just choosing to ignore my tone. Alice however seemed fully aware of my mood as she started to get up and mouthed something about giving me privacy. I waved my hand to signal that she should stay seated. This would be a quick conversation.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Renee gave it to me, but don't get mad at her. I had to practically beg your mother for the number. My dignity was worth it though, Bella. I desperately needed to hear your voice."

He sounded almost sincere. Almost. Like with Alice a few minutes earlier, I didn't know how to respond, so I said nothing, letting the silence stretch out like the physical and emotional distance between us. Jake took a few strained breaths before continuing in a quiet voice.

"I still can't believe you left Phoenix without even saying good-bye in person. Did our four years together mean that little to you?"

The words sounded like a typical Jake maneuver, trying to guilt and manipulate me. But something in the way he asked the question was off. The usually cockiness and controlling tone was missing. All that was left was sadness.

Jake apparently either didn't expect or maybe didn't want an answer to his question, as he kept talking after the slightest of pauses.

"Because you still mean the world to me and I love you more than ever. I have been miserable these past few months apart. I realize now that I royally fucked up. Although I honestly didn't understand your reaction at the time, I now see that I should never have taken the job in New York without talking to you first."

Hmm. Well that was definitely new. The two weeks in April between when he accepted the position on the east coast and when I moved back in with Renee was one constant argument. He never admitted any wrongdoing in the situation, saying over and over again that I was the selfish one wanting to hold back his career. Trying to paint me as a nagging, overreacting bitch who refused to see that us moving to New York was a foregone conclusion once he was offered a position there so that was why there was no need for him to discuss it with me before accepting.

"Jake, why are you calling?" I didn't have the energy for this discussion right now and wanted it over.

"Bella, isn't it obvious? I am trying to apology if you would just listen." Now he was the one that sounded annoyed. "Although it has been hard, I think the last couple of months apart may have been for the best. I know it has helped me realize that I can't ever again take you or our relationship for granted."

"Jake, we don't have a relationship anymore." It sounded harsh even to my own ears, but I needed to get off the phone. I was starting to react to what Jake was saying. Starting to wonder if he really was sincere. Starting to miss those parts of him that I never stopped loving. To remember how lonely I had been at night even though I would never admit it to Renee or Alice.

"Look, Bella, I am not naïve enough to think we could ever just pick up where we left off or even immediately go back to how things used to be between us before our respective career plans got in the way. I would just like to have you in my life in whatever capacity you are willing to agree to, even if it's just as friends. And if later you decide you would be willing to give me another chance as more than that…" Jake trailed off with what could only be described as raw hope in his voice.

My mind was trying to process everything Jake was saying. I was so confused. This didn't sound at all like the Jake I knew, especially not the person who had shared my bed in the recent past. Was this all some sort of ploy? I know it killed his ego when I was the one who broke up with him. Jake always wanted to control every aspect of his life, which was a large part of our relationship problems, although he never would admit to that in the past. I had often felt patronized and even humiliated by how he treated me, especially when he shut down my opinions and wants in front of our mutual friends.

"Jake, I need to go. This isn't a good time to talk." Once again, I was avoiding dealing with my own life. As much as I hated to admit it, avoidance was usually my default reaction. I had thought I was finally taking control of my own life by moving to Seattle, but maybe Renee was right. Maybe I was just running from my problems instead of staying in Phoenix to deal with them.

"Okay, but can I call again later this week?"

"I don't know… maybe… but it's probably not a good idea…." I hated myself for being so indecisive. How had one conversation with my ex-boyfriend unraveled me so much?

"Or if you would prefer, I can come to Seattle to talk about everything in person. I still have a couple of months before I'm planning to move to New York since my job doesn't start until the end of September."

"No!" Okay, good. So I wasn't totally incapable of making a decision. "I mean to say that there is no reason for you to come here. But if you want to call again, I won't stop you. I just can't promise that it will change anything."

"But you aren't saying it won't, so I will take that for now. Bye, my love, until we talk again."

I stared at my phone for several minutes after Jake disconnected the call. I probably would have sat there until the store closed except my thoughts were interrupted by Alice clearing her throat. I had forgotten that she was sitting beside me.

"So that was Jake?"

I nodded my head but didn't turn to face Alice. My eyes were still glued to the phone which was now lying limp in the hand resting on my lap.

"Bella, I am not going to pretend I didn't hear your end of the conversation or that I couldn't guess what he was saying based on your verbal and nonverbal responses. But if you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

"Thanks. No offense, but I honestly don't feel like discussing Jake or the conversation we just had. At least not right now."

"That's fine. You don't have to talk about it…but I will."

At that comment, my eyes snapped up to my pixie friend. My mouth probably fell open a little as well.

"Bella, you told me how you were with him. How you let him make decisions for you and always put yourself second. Even when just talking to him right now, I saw what I imagine was the 'Old Bella' coming out in your physical reaction. Your shoulders slumped and your voice took on an uncertain quality like you were seeking his approval to validate your own responses. The Bella I know is strong and capable. Don't get sucked back into an unhealthy relationship just because you are lonely. I can't fathom how hard it is to pick up and move to a new city, but the fact that you have just shows how brave you are, Bella. You need to hold out for a partner that builds you up, not tears you down. And I have a feeling that person is closer than you realize."

Alice gave me warm smile and squeezed my hand before pulling me out of the leather chair.

"Now let's get out of here. I was starting to actually enjoy spending time in this bookstore, but we can't have that. My favorite clothing boutiques would get insanely jealous if they found out. I have a reputation to uphold, you know. Speaking of which, if you ever tell Rose you dragged me here, I will absolutely deny it."

Alice's friendship really was the best thing that had ever happened to me. She wanted to erase the stress that Jake's call had caused, but not before sharing her thoughts about the situation. Although I didn't acknowledge it, I did appreciate her intervention and valued my friend's opinion. I didn't have to say anything, because in Alice's wisdom, she already knew how I felt.

Alice had special plans with Jasper that evening – they were having dinner at the top of the Space Needle and watching the fireworks display from there, but she stopped by my apartment first before heading to her own place to change and drop off the numerous shopping bags she had accumulated over the course of the day. My friend seemed to think I wasn't capable of picking out an outfit by myself to wear to work on Monday. I couldn't help but tease Alice as she considered different combinations using pieces from my closet (the few she deemed worthy) and clothing I had purchased that day under her guidance.

"What was that about me being capable of making my own decisions?"

"Bella, Bella, Bella. I meant what I said about you being one of the strongest people I know, but the combination of grace, integrity, and selflessness doesn't necessarily come with a side heaping of fashion sense. To be honest, one of the things I admire about you in that you don't care how you look, that your core focus is on being a good person. And that would be all fine and dandy if we existed in the bubble of your apartment. But since you do need to go out in public, and specifically will be going to Meyer corporate headquarters for the first time on Monday, my job is to make sure all those wonderful qualities are wrapped up in a pretty package. It's the least I can do."

I let out a full belly laugh, and the release felt wonderful. Alice managed to pull me completely out of the flunk that I had unknowingly sunk into after Jake's call. I was once again in a great mood, which was good since I had plans with Angela. Neither of us were that into the whole "celebrating independence thing," so we were going to have dinner at a Cajun restaurant in Ballard and then see a movie at the old-fashioned theater there.

I slept in Sunday since some idiot had illegally fired rockets outside my window into the wee hours of the morning, but I managed to pull myself together after a hot shower and even hotter cup of coffee. The day was spent pouring over all of the reports and white papers Edward had given me on Wednesday about the technology transformation project at Meyer. Although I would only be working on one aspect of the larger effort, I wanted to fully understand the entire scope of the work Volterra had been contracted to deliver.

I woke early on Monday morning though hours before my alarm was set to go off. My nervousness surprised me. I was more wound up than I had been on my first day with Volterra. I guess my subconscious recognized that needing to make a good impression with my own co-workers was nothing compared to how important it was to impressing the client's staff. Then again, I wasn't sure how much I would even be interacting with Meyer employees. I knew from Edward that my entire team was comprised of consultants.

I decided to head to the gym down the street for an early morning workout to release some pent-up energy. I was usually able to keep my clumsiness in check enough to successfully navigate the elliptical machines there. Afterwards, I took a quick shower, grabbed a bowl of cereal, and put on the outfit Alice laid out. I had to admit that the woman has superb taste.

I was just getting off the bus in front of the bank's corporate headquarters when I got a text from Edward saying he had been pulled into an emergency meeting and that Emmett would send someone else down to sign me in and show me around the office.

The original plan was for Edward to meet Mike and me in the lobby at 8:00 AM, and as much I was looking forward to seeing him again, part of me was relieved that I wouldn't have to face Edward first thing this morning. My pulse rate was already accelerated as a result of my nervousness about being at the client site. I don't think my poor heart could take being in close proximity to Edward on top of that.

The lobby was a swarm of people. Everyone walked with purpose and seemed to be in a rush. I glanced around looking for Mike or another face I recognized when I felt a familiar pressure on the small of my back.

"Good morning, Bella. You look as lovely as I remember."

I appreciated James' flattery at the party last week, but felt it was inappropriate now that we were at work. Taking a step to turn and put some distance between us, I returned his 'good-morning' greeting in what I hoped was a purely professional tone.

"Oh, this is indeed a good morning. I get to spend it with you." James must have recognized the confused look on my face, so he continued. "I overheard Emmett asking Aro, one of the other managers, to show you around, and I convinced him I was the best man to pick up Edward's slack. Here, let's get you signed in at the front desk."

"Shouldn't we wait for Mike?"

"Oh, he left a message that his flight from Spokane got canceled due to engine problems. It was the last scheduled flight out last night, so he had to catch a plane this morning instead. He should be here in a couple of hours."

Despite his flirtatious nature, James was a complete gentleman as he showed me around the building and introduced me to a wide variety of people. I met everyone from the daytime custodian for my floor to the Vice President of Operations who sat in the corner office. Most people were friendly, but I did get strange vibes from a few individuals. An accountant I met in the break room almost spilled coffee on my shoes due to his trembling hands, while a receptionist practically growled at me when she noticed James taking my elbow to guide me down the next hall.

Finally, we made it to what would become my second home. A computer, office supply caddy, and several file folders were waiting for me on my cubicle desk.

"Well, here you are. I can help you get set up in the system if you would like," James offered.

I took a seat and hit the power button. "I must admit that I am surprised to have a desktop computer here. I assumed I would do all my work on my Volterra laptop," I mused out loud.

"That is true for most of the consulting staff here, as Meyer doesn't want to provide any more hardware for our company's employees than absolutely necessary. But since you will be writing programs that interface directly with the bank's main customer account databases, all of your work needs to be done on this computer which has a secure link to their systems. In fact, both Emmett and the bank executive vice president overseeing our project wanted me to stress that you need to pick a completely random 12-15 character alpha-numeric password and to not disclose it to _anyone_. And of course don't even think about writing it down."

The computer had booted up while James was talking and the initial login textbox flashed on the screen.

"Your user-id is imswan," James offered. "I will turn around while you set the password."

Although I completely understood that for security reasons, my password had to be impossible to guess, I still needed to think of a letter/number combination that I could remember without writing it down. I had a lot of strengths, but my memory wasn't one of them. After some thought, I was ready to set up my account, but looked over my shoulder first to make sure James had his back to me. True to his word, he was staring out at the cubicle across the hall. Keeping one eye on James, I typed in my thirteen character password and pushed enter.

James was showing me how to navigate through Meyer's main systems when I heard a familiar voice. Familiar, but unwelcomed.

"So you really did get staffed here, Isabella? I kept hoping that Emmett would come to his senses and give your spot to Jessica instead."

"Can I help you with something, Lauren?" Over the course of our two week orientation and training, Lauren had gone from ignoring me to verbally attacking me whenever she had the chance. I really had no idea what I had done to make her dislike me so much. Not that I cared for her personality either, but at least I was willing to be professional and civil.

"Oh, trust me, I don't need any help from you. I just have the unfortunate task for retrieving you so that we can go get our pictures taken for entry badges."

I said good-bye and thanks to James before following Lauren to the security office. When I got back to my cubicle thirty minutes later, Emmett was there waiting for me with a big grin.

"Bella! Sorry neither Edward nor I could show you around this morning. We both got pulled into some urgent meetings. Edward is actually still tied up, but I wanted to come by and say hi."

"Thanks, Emmett. It is nice to get a personal welcome from the big man on the client," I teased.

"So are you getting settled?"

"Yes, everyone I have met has been really friendly. I can't wait to get started on my first task."

"Well, I believe Edward left you some specs to look over until he had a chance to speak with you. Oh, here they are." Emmett picked up the file folders on my desk and started flipping through them. "It looks like you also have another confidentiality form here that HR needs signed."

"Oh, I can take care of that now." I went to grab a pen, but frowned instead.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing really. It is just that the supply caddy that was on my desk earlier isn't there now."

Emmett laughed. "I guess we should have gotten your name on the outside of the cubicle quicker. The previous occupant just moved out of this space yesterday. The people around here are infamous for claiming things left behind. Someone must have taken it assuming the space was still empty. Here, use my pen."

The two of us chatted for a few more minutes before Emmett needed to leave for another meeting. I spent the rest of the morning looking through the program specs Edward had left me. I was so engrossed that I didn't hear anyone entered my cube, but all of a sudden, my body could sense his presence.

I turned in my chair to see Edward leaning against the cubicle wall. His green eyes were sparkling and my favorite crooked grin was on his face. If I didn't know better, I would think he was as excited to see me as I was to see him. I gave him a bright smile in return.

"Hi," we both said at the same time and then both grinned even more.


	8. Salami Sandwiches

**Chapter Eight: Salami Sandwiches**

"So, it looks like you are getting settled. I am sorry I couldn't meet you this morning as planned."

"No worries," I replied. "James took good care of me."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I had said the wrong thing. In my excitement at seeing him again, I completely forgot about the animosity Edward seems to have towards James. Sure enough, Edward's smile fell from his face in an instant.

In my haste to fix the situation, I blurted out "but I am much happier now that you are here."

Edward had a strange look on his face so I realized I had probably said the wrong thing again. I took a deep breath, pushed my personal feelings for Edward to the far depths of my mind, and attempted to finally sound professional.

"That is, I have few questions about the technical specs you left me, so I am glad you are here as I am anxious to start programming the module as soon as possible."

"Of course, but do you mind if we wait until after lunch? The client hammered us all morning over some bugs in the system, so I am looking forward to stepping away from the office for a breather."

"No problem. Just stop by when you get back."

"But Bella, you're coming with me. I am taking you out for lunch."

"Really? You want to go to lunch with me? Just the two of us? Why?"

Did I really just ask those questions out loud? I wanted to crawl under my desk and hide for the duration of this project assignment, especially considering how high-pitched my voice sounded. Edward initially seemed amused at my reaction, but then worry lines appeared on his forehead.

"Sorry to confuse you. I definitely need to explain. It is customary for supervisors to take new team members to lunch on their first day at a project."

"Oh, yes, of course. I do remember hearing that."

For a brief moment, I had thought Edward truly wanted to spend time alone with me. I should have guessed our lunch "date" was a professional courtesy.

"How does Asian sound to you? I made tentative reservations at Wild Ginger…" Edward trailed off waiting for my assessment.

"That sounds great. I passed by the restaurant when walking from the bus stop this morning and liked the atmosphere," I responded while following Edward out of my cubicle. As we walked, his phone beeped for the third time since we had started talking but he continued to ignore whoever was trying to reach him.

Once we exited the elevator, Edward steered me towards the side door of the building. I would have thought the front exit would be a more direct route to Wild Ginger, but I figured Edward knew the area better than me. Right before we reached the revolving door, I heard both of our names being called.

"Edward, Bella, wait up!"

Mike came jogging across the lobby towards us.

"I am so glad I saw you two. I have been at the security desk for the past twenty minutes trying to convince them that I work here. I couldn't get hold of anyone."

Remembering the ignored calls, I raised an eyebrow at Edward, but he just shrugged.

"Hi Mike. How was Spokane?" I asked.

"Great, I can tell you all about it over lunch. I assume that is where you guys are headed."

Mike fell into step with Edward and me as we walked toward the restaurant. Sure enough, we had to loop around the front of the building. I tried not to read too much into the fact that Edward was obviously trying to avoid taking Mike to lunch as well – a suspicion that was further confirmed when the hostess mentioned the reservation was for two people. Edward brushed it off that he had assumed Mike wouldn't make it to the office in time.

"But you confirmed receipt of my text last night saying that my new flight was scheduled to arrive at 10:15 AM," Mike pressed.

"Sorry, I guess I thought it was later. Luckily we ran into each other in the lobby as I definitely want you to feel welcomed on the project." Edward's tone didn't match his words, but Mike wisely decided to let the subject drop.

Edward turned his attention solely to me. "So, Bella, I picked up _Namesake _over the weekend. Thanks for the recommendation. I am not finished yet, but I can see why you like it so much."

Edward and I had spent a good chunk of Friday night at Twilight discussing our favorite novels and we picked the conversation back up with gusto over lunch. I felt a little bad about leaving Mike out – he mentioned at one point that he preferred video games over books. I tried to change the subject a few times, but Edward would just move onto another topic that coincidentally would also exclude Mike. After awhile, I must admit that I forgot about our co-worker at the table. Edward and I were in a heated debate about how news coverage in Seattle would be affected if the Post-Intelligencer did close shop and there was only one daily paper in town when Mike interrupted.

"As much as I enjoy a good meal on the company's dime, shouldn't we get back to the office?"

I was shocked to see that ninety minutes had passed since we sat down. Edward seemed surprised as well.

"Shit, I'm late for a presentation. Bella, send me an email with all of your questions and I will try to answer the most pressing ones via text during the meeting. Mike, Bella will be able to sign you in with security. I left some documents in your cubicle for you to review. I will touch base with both of you later this afternoon."

With those parting words, Edward rushed out of the restaurant. I heard him tell the waitress as he walked passed her to put lunch on Volterra's tab.

Mike and I had barely cleared the front door ourselves when he started grilling me.

"So now that you have changed your personal policy on interoffice romance, do I have a chance?"

"What are you talking about Mike?"

"It just seems like you and Edward have gotten pretty friendly."

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

Although I had only known Mike for two weeks, he had never seemed particularly intuitive to me, so if he picked up on my fascination with Edward, others were bound to as well. I couldn't have rumors getting started that something was going on between my supervisor and me, especially when nothing could be further from the truth. I decided to play it cool.

"Yeah, it turns out Edward and I have some similar interests. I must say that I am really pleased to have already meant so many wonderful people at Volterra. Between Alice, Edward, Rose, and members of our orientation group – including you of course – I am feeling so less anxious about being new in town."

"Oh, yeah, there are some pretty cool people at the company. I noticed that while I was going through the recruiting process. That is part of the reason Volterra was my top choice from all the offers I got."

Surprisingly, I managed to distract Mike and his suspicions were quelled, at least for the time being. As he went on to detail all the _staggering_ offers he received – his adjective, not mine – I tried to make sense of my own feelings for Edward and what his might be in return. The pull I felt towards Edward was overwhelming at times and it was getting harder to convince myself that the attraction was one-sided. Despite our rocky start, there was a chemistry between the two of us that was impossible to deny. At least from my point of view. But what was Edward thinking? Ahh, the million dollar question.

The next ten weeks flew by, and for the most part, I couldn't have been happier. I was thoroughly enjoying my new job, and based on the feedback I received from my consulting co-workers and the client staff I worked with, I was damn good at it. They had even raised my security clearance so that I could tackle some of the more tricky programs that calculated interest payment on customer accounts. Of course that meant that I had to continue working solely on the desktop computer assigned by Volterra so I was pretty much chained to the office. I would wistfully say goodbye to my peers when they left by 6:00 PM each night, even though I knew they would be logging back in at home from their laptops and putting in another two or three hours of work before going to bed.

Ten to twelve hour days were the norm in consulting, especially for those of us early in our careers who were trying to "make our mark." I was usually at work until nine o'clock each evening, but I honestly didn't mind. In fact, those late hours were my favorite part of the day, at least on two nights of the week. If anyone were to ask me why, I would have replied that I enjoyed the solace of working in an empty office and that I was the most productive during that time.

In other words, I would lie. Although I did get a lot of work done on most nights, I was utterly distracted on Mondays and Wednesdays because I wasn't alone. Edward was usually with me. Our late nights together started because of my obsession over the salami sandwiches at a deli near the Volterra office. In retrospect, I have never been more pleased about my poor eating habits.

Alice introduced me to Salumi Artisan Cured Meats during my orientation days. Although primarily a wholesale meat shop, they have a small deli counter that has a line backed out the door on most days. In order to ensure we still have "girl time" as Alice liked to call it, she would pick up two sandwiches on Tuesdays and Thursdays after work and walk the ten or so blocks to meet me at Meyer. We would kick back in my cubicle or grab a conference room on the nights she had juicy gossip to share.

Although we still saw each other each weekend, I enjoyed those nights. The company was very welcomed considering most of my co-workers had left by the time Alice arrived. On the other nights, I would just pack a dinner from home and usually read while eating. Although I loved my job, there was no way I could work straight through from after lunch until nine without some much deserved downtime.

On the Tuesday of my third week at Meyer, I got a text from Alice that she wouldn't be able to make our standing date due to a "fire" she had to put out at the office. Something about a small project at REI that was signed that day and needed to be fully staffed by the following Monday. We were in a team meeting at the time so my involuntary groan gave away my disappointment. Mike of course couldn't resist teasing me.

"I refuse to feel sorry for you, Bella, considering you have been choosing to ignore my subtle hints that Alice should pick up a sandwich for me as well on the nights she visits."

"Mike, poking your head in my cube every time she is here and whining how good the sandwiches smell and how hungry you are is not very subtle," I replied while laughing. Mike pretended to be offended, but he understood that I relished that time with my best friend. Besides, I went to lunch with him and Sam and Leah, the other two analysts on our team, almost every day.

At 6:30 that night I was walking back from the central printer trying to decide if I could survive on an empty stomach until I got home or if I was going to have to break down and leave the building to grab something when I got a whiff of one of my favorite aromas. Sitting on my desk was a bag from Salumi's complete with chips and my soda of choice. I was utterly confused as I looked around for Alice with no luck. I then caught the sight of familiar bronze hair over cubicle walls as he rounded the corner. I grabbed the bag and took off after Edward, reaching him right as he got to his office.

I caught Edward's eye and held up the bag with my yummy sandwich. "Did Alice drop this by?"

With a slightly hurt look, Edward replied with a simple no to my question as he sat down.

"So do you know where it came from?"

"I ran out to get dinner for myself since I have to stay late tonight and thought I would pick up something for you as well. No big deal." It was then that I noticed a similar bag sitting on Edward's desk.

"You just walked 20 blocks for a sandwich?" This was making no sense. I didn't even know Edward liked Salumi's. Unlike the rest of the team, he hadn't even directly commented on mine and Alice's new dinner tradition although he usually stopped by for a quick hello when she was visiting.

Edward just shrugged and tried to look nonchalant, but I couldn't help notice the corners of his mouth turn up in a small smile, especially after I started ogling the sandwich he had removed from his own bag.

"If you don't want the sandwich, no worries. I'll just throw it away."

"No!" I practically shouted while clinging the bag to my chest. "No one touches my sandwich."

Edward now had a full grin as he motioned to the seat in front of his desk. "You might as well sit then. I would hate for someone to mug you on the way back to your cube considering how passionate you are about your dinner."

That is when my common sense finally caught up with the rest of me. As hard as it was to believe, Edward had gone out of his way to pick up my favorite meal knowing that Alice had to cancel our evening plans. I _really_ needed this man to stop being so perfect.

"So are you feeling settled yet in your new city?"

I was a little surprised by Edward's question. Although the two of us had obviously interacted a lot over the prior two weeks, all of our conversations had been strictly business related. We hadn't deviated from the subjects of technical specifications and process flow maps since my welcome lunch at Wild Ginger. Then again, we hadn't really been alone like this since… well, ever, unless you counted that charged "dance lesson" at Twilight right before I started at Meyer. Although I had been back to the club the last two Friday nights with an assortment of Volterra employees, Edward hadn't been there.

I shook all those random thoughts from my head and tried to piece together an appropriate response to Edward's question.

"Yes and no. It some ways the month that I have lived here has flown by and I feel like I have barely been able to explore Seattle. At the same time, I am already having trouble remembering what my life used to be like in Phoenix. It is hard to believe that I haven't always woken up to the sounds of the Fremont drawbridge rising to let a fishing boat through."

"Well, you will definitely need to make sure you make it to the Seattle Center for Bumbershoot over Labor Day weekend. You can't consider yourself a true Seattleite until you attend the annual music festival."

With that comment, we became absorbed in a conversation about our favorite bands and memories of our earliest concert experiences. The next thing I knew, I heard the cleaning crew coming down the hall which meant it was already 9:00 PM. Although neither of us had gotten any work done that evening, I couldn't be more content. After grabbing our respective satchels, we headed out into the cool summer evening towards the nearest bus stop. I was a little surprised to discover we rode the same metro, even though I knew from Alice that Edward also lived in Fremont. Edward got off first, but I couldn't help but notice that he waited on the corner and watched the bus until we turned down a side street.

On that Wednesday, I brought my dinner from home per my normal routine. After saying goodbye to most of my co-workers, I went to the break room to pull the humus, pita bread, and veggies from the fridge there. As I passed Edward's office on the way back, he called out to me.

"Bella, do you mind reviewing this database scheme with me. I have been tinkering with it all afternoon, but I still don't think the current links between tables are going to provide the optimal amount of processing time during data retrieval. I would love a second opinion."

"No problem, if you don't mind if I munch on carrot sticks while we talk. I'm starving."

"Actually, I will run and warm up the leftovers I brought in and we can make it a working dinner."

We did get some work done that evening, but we also talked about learning to ride bikes, our most embarrassing memory from high school, and the first time we got drunk, which was coincidently directly linked to my embarrassing moment.

And thus a new tradition started. Alice continued with the Salumi's deliveries on Tuesday and Thursday, but Edward and I ate dinner together in his office on Mondays and Wednesdays eight weeks in a row. He worked late those nights and we both caught the 9:14 PM Metro to Fremont, the last one of the evening. At first, he made excuses to justify the later hours – paperwork that had piled up, a presentation to prepare for, etc. – since I knew he normally finished his workday at home like most everyone else. After awhile though, we both accepted the ease and comfort of our routine. He even started bringing his laptop to my cubicle and working from there after dinner sometimes so we could continue our conversations and still be somewhat productive.

Although we never discussed the topic, it was apparent that neither of us had mentioned the late nights we spent working along side each other to any of our mutual friends. Not that what we were doing was scandalous by any means. Although I felt closer and closer to Edward each week, the truth was that our intense involvement with each other was purely platonic. We shared dreams, fears, and secrets, but never broached the subject of our past or current relationships. We seemed to have an unspoken agreement that some things were better left outside our little bubble.

We also avoided any physical contact at all, even casual. I am not sure why Edward kept space between us, but for me, the reason was simple. On the few times our hands or arms had brushed against each other, I felt an electrifying spark ignite my whole body. Although I craved his touch, those moments made it hard for me to be thankful for the part of himself that Edward _was_ willing to give me. I wanted more, and I knew I couldn't have it.

I am not sure how long we would have kept up our routine, but I never got a chance to find out. Whether it was intentional decisions on his part or pure coincidence, Edward and I had not interacted at all outside of the office during the two and a half months I had been staffed at Meyer, despite the fact that our respective best friends were dating. That changed the night of my 25th birthday party.

The night that our lovely bubble was blown up into a million shattered pieces.


	9. Secrets Revealed

**Chapter Nine: Secrets Revealed**

"Alright, so let's see…" Alice paused as she checked evite, her perfectly manicured nails resting lightly on the keyboard of the bright purple MacBook, "it looks like seventeen people are confirmed for the party tonight."

"Alice! I only agreed to this whole birthday celebration thing because you promised you would keep it small to just a few close friends." It was Sunday, September 13th, the dreaded anniversary of my birth. It's not that I minded getting older. In fact, twenty-five sounded like a good age to be. I just don't like attention or getting gifts, which was why I normally hide the fact when the date is approaching. Unfortunately Alice has access to my personnel file at Volterra.

"Silly Bella, seventeen is the smallest party I have ever hosted. And don't worry, it will be very casual and barely focused on you as we will be doing wine and chocolate tasting at this swank little shop downtown before heading to Twilight to continue the evening."

"So who will be there tonight?" I asked with resignation.

"Well besides us, and Jasper of course, there will be Rose and Emmett, your orientation group minus Lauren who I didn't want to invite and then the bitch declined without even giving a reason, Ben – I am so glad he and Angela finally got together, Tanya, Edward, James, Sam and Leah from the Meyer plus Sam's girlfriend Emily—"

"Wait, you invited James? I thought we agreed that _if_ you invited anyone from the bank that you would keep it to my immediate project team."

"Well, in his case, James apparently invited himself. He somehow found out about the evening and asked Sam to forward the evite to him. Although I can't say I am too disappointed, since the man does make nice eye candy."

"Alice, what would Jasper say if he heard you?" I teased my friend. She leaned back in the kitchen chair with a devilish grin on her face.

"He would probably agree. Although my man definitely only swings one way, he can appreciate beauty in all of its forms."

I could only roll my eyes at that comment.

"—and Leah is bringing her brother Seth."

"Really? It seems strange that she would bring him along to my party considering I have never even met him. Then again, I guess I shouldn't be surprised since Leah has been talking about him non-stop lately."

"Bella, are you really that clueless?" Now it was Alice's turn for the eye roll. "I promised not to say anything, but for everyone's sake, I obviously need to loop you into Leah's plan. The reason she is bringing Seth is that she thinks the two of you will hit it off. Her birthday present to you minus the bow."

"Great," I replied, not trying to hide the annoyance in my voice. "Does this mean I am going to have to deal with yet more unwanted advances? Why can't everyone accept that I am not looking to meet someone new right now?"

"Any chance that is because you already have someone in mind for the role of Bella's Boyfriend?"

I froze while the blender continued its swirling and ice crushing. I had been making a batch of margaritas as we talked, thankful now that there was another noise to block out my audible gasp at Alice's last statement and what her tone implied. With a shaky hand I reached out and turned off the machine while trying to will my voice to sound both casually indifferent and sarcastic at the same time.

"You caught me, Alice. I have been secretly pining for Freckles to ask for my phone number instead of my coffee order." That was the nickname we had given to the cute barista at the Starbucks in the lobby of Volterra's building. Cute as in you want to pluck him out of his life as a UW freshman and put him on the shelf to coo at along with your teddy bears, unicorn figurines, and picture of a kitten hanging from a tree branch.

"That's not who I am talking about." I jumped at the sound of Alice's response as I hadn't realized she had moved from the table to stand right behind me. Her usual high-pitched voice was eerily calm, which unnerved me more than the turn our conversation had taken.

Alice gently pulled on my arm and I slowly turned to face my friend. Panic rushed through my system as I knew she had somehow discovered my secret crush, even though the gauntlet had not been officially thrown down yet.

"Bella, sweetie, do you really think I haven't picked up on how you react to Edward, how your eyes light up when he walks into the room, how a smile graces your lips when his name is mentioned in conversation?"

I could have tried to deny her implication, but we both knew she was stating the painful and irrefutable truth, so instead I pulled out of Alice's grasp and sat down in the chair she had just vacated.

"It is really that obvious? If so, I am royally fucked." I stated while hanging my head down between my knees.

Alice knelt down beside me and rubbed my back for support. "Not to everyone else, no. But I know you too well. And I know Edward. He reacts the same way to your presence, and as much as I wish it wasn't true, I am beginning to think no good can come of it, that you won't get together as I originally foresaw. It's just that the chemistry between you was thick in the air that night at Twilight so many weeks ago, which is why I have tried so hard to get you two together in the same social situations since then. But Edward with his damn stubborn streak has resisted every invitation I have thrown his way. Jasper tells me to let it go, and of course Tanya got pissed at the mere suggestion of you two together, while Rose won't even discuss the topic saying she refuses to play matchmaker to two grown adults. Maybe they are right, but when I have seen little snippets of interactions between you and Edward at the bank, it is obvious the connection from that night at Twilight has deepened. I am just not sure when or how. My usually reliable instincts seem to be misfiring left and right with this whole situation."

I could tell Alice was beyond frustrated, but I hardly noticed as my mind was reeling trying to digest everything she had just said. I latched onto the most glaring piece of information.

"You discussed Edward and me with Tanya?"

"Sure. I mean I know the two of you didn't hit it off during orientation, Tanya was still too snippy about Emmett going over her head to hire you, but deep down she is a good person. Besides, she is one of the few people I see every day at the Volterra office. I mean as much as I like Mrs. Cope, I am not about to dish with her over coffee each morning."

"Don't you think it is just a little awkward that your friend, Edward's _girlfriend_, knows about my feelings for him?"

Alice looked at me with a blank stare for about four seconds and then threw her head back in laughter. "Bella, Bella, Bella. Have you really thought all this time that the two of them were dating? I am sure they would both be disgusted at the suggestion. They grew up in the same neighborhood, more precisely, the same playpen. Their parents have best friends long before Edward and Tanya were even born. The families celebrate holidays together, vacation together, hell, they probably bought burial plots side-by-side. Although Esme and Irina maybe at some point hoped their children would get together, the fact of the matter is that Tanya and Edward are more like siblings to each other than most actual blood relatives."

"Oh," was the only response my brain was capable of at the time, which was fine as Alice continued along the path she had started, growing once again serious.

"Although Tanya _is_ fiercely protective of Edward, especially after all the shit that went down last year. She was about the only one he would talk to during that time as he shut the rest of us out."

"So just out of curiosity, if Edward is in fact single," I paused, waiting and receiving the expected head nod from my friend, "why do you think we won't ever get together? Or is it just the obvious two reasons?"

"And what would those be, Ms. Swan?"

"Well, considering we are co-workers and Edward supervises my team currently, the ethics of us potentially dating are highly questionable."

"Yes, not ideal, but also not an insurmountable obstacle, at least not compared to the biggest reason things will unfortunately not go anywhere for you two."

"Yes, I know. The obvious," I stated while gesturing to myself.

Alice frowned as she tilted her head to take in the hands that were flapping up and down my body erratically.

"I really don't think we are on the same page, Bella. What 'obvious' reason are you referring to?"

"Well, me of course. I mean Edward is, well, Edward. Handsome, charming, sophisticated, successful. And I am, well, me. Don't get me wrong. I am not into self-deprecation. I know I have a lot to offer _some_ guy, just not a guy like Edward."

"Bella, you really don't see yourself clearly, do you? Or Edward for that matter. The man is completely drawn to you, although my bet is he tries to deny that even to himself. I assume that when you first meet, Edward was stiff and formal, maybe to the point of rudeness. He probably made it clear that yours would be a purely professional relationship, avoiding the appearance of even a casual friendship."

"How did you… I mean, what makes you say…"

"Because I have seen him do the same thing with every woman who has started at Volterra over the last sixteen months, and even though you never said anything, I could see the hurt in your eyes after the two of you had any sort of interaction during those first couple of weeks. But I really thought it would be different with you, Bella. That Edward would stop giving the past so much influence over his current life. It would seem that he may have taken down his wall enough to have a friendship with you, but I don't think he is open to anything beyond that."

"Alice, I am having a little trouble keeping up with this conversation. Is there something about Edward's past that I should know about?"

"Yes, but it's not my story to tell. I only bring all of this up because as much as I would love for Edward to be your 'happily ever after,' I don't want you waiting around for him to work through issues that are his alone. If Seth is as great as a guy as Leah says, you should give him a chance tonight. If nothing else, maybe you can get laid on your birthday."

With a smirk and a wink, Alice was obviously trying to lighten the mood, which I appreciated as usual, and I was definitely ready for a subject change.

"So speaking of my birthday, we should probably finish up these drinks so the torture part of the evening can start, huh?" Somehow Alice had talked me into letting her treat me as her own personal Barbie doll tonight. Her "gift" to me was a new outfit complete with make-up and hair. I am not sure why I agreed. I guess I figured someone should enjoy my birthday.

Just as we were heading back to my bedroom, my cell phone started vibrating across the kitchen counter while playing the familiar yet annoying T-Mobile signature sound. I can't complain too much though since I have never bothered to change the ring tone.

Alice grabbed the device before I could. "Hello, this is Bella's Birthday Hotline, who may I ask is calling?"

Her reaction to the caller was immediate and severe. The corners of Alice's mouth turned down and her body tensed. "And why do you think she would want to talk to you after all this time?"

Oh, no. Alarm bells started going off in my head and my first thought was I needed to escape.

"Oh, really. You two have been talking every Sunday lately? That is interesting news." Alice locked me in place with an icy glare and I realized belatedly that I had missed my chance to run. Then again, the apartment isn't that big. I doubt I could have found an adequate place to hide from her wrath. It's not that I had lied to my friend. I just hadn't clued her in that I had reestablished a harmless connection to my past. Okay, harmless was probably not the best adjective, especially considering that the weekly two-hour conversations filled the void of loneliness I still felt at times. There was also the possibility that I was unintentionally misleading the other person, which I did feel a tidbit guilty about.

I stuck out my hand palm up thinking to get all the drama over sooner than later. Alice's voice turned sickly sweet in response.

"Well, let me give the phone to her then. I don't want to keep either of you waiting."

I gave her my best "please-forgive-me-I'll-explain-everything-later" puppy dog eyes, but Alice wasn't buying what I was trying to sell. I couldn't decide if she was more hurt or pissed.

"Hi, Jake."

"Was that your friend Alice you are always going on and on about? I gotta say, Bells, she seems like a total bitch. What's her problem?"

"Can we please not go there right now?"

"Of course, you're right. I'm sorry. I called to wish you a happy birthday, not start a fight. So, what do you have planned for the evening?"

"Alice set up a party at this place called The Chocolate Box in downtown Seattle, then we will probably head to a bar afterwards."

"Sounds like a nightmare, for you that is," Jacob chuckled. "I figured you would be eating take-out and playing cards with a couple of close friends."

"You know me too well, Jake. That does sound like a much better option." I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. My eyes shot up to see Alice practically running from the room. She didn't stop even when I called her name. Okay, she was definitely more hurt.

"Look, I really appreciate you calling, but I better go. We can talk more later, okay?"

"I understand. It is just strange not to be with you today. I miss you, Bella."

"I miss you too, Jake." Which was true, but probably not in the same way he was. Despite what Alice might be thinking at this moment, I had moved on.

"That is just what I wanted to hear! Bye, Bella. We will talk again very soon." He hung up before I had a chance to respond, which was just as well. I had some serious damage to repair.

I found Alice in my bathroom laying out various cosmetic supplies. She didn't turn around when I entered the small space.

"Alice, I am sorry for not saying anything about Jake and me reconnecting. We have been talking weekly since he called that day at the bookstore. I wasn't trying to be deceitful, I just knew you probably wouldn't approve, so I figured it was easier to keep quiet."

"Bella, you are right. I don't particularly approve, but only because I am thinking of your best interests." Alice raised her eyes so she was looking at me in the mirror's reflection. "But here's the thing. You're a big girl and so am I. We don't always have to agree, but if we are going to be friends, we have to be honest with each other. This is two secrets in one night that you are admitting to, and you didn't volunteer either one of them."

"You're absolutely right. And please believe me when I say I am extremely sorry. I would never hurt you or our friendship on purpose. I guess I am just used to keeping things to myself and living inside my own head. I can honestly say you are the best girlfriend I have ever had and I wouldn't want to do anything to mess that up." What I didn't say out loud was that Jake was the reason why I tended not to voice my internal thoughts _and_ why I hadn't gotten close to anyone besides him in the last four plus years. I figured now wasn't a good time to remind Alice of his controlling tendencies, especially as I really did think he had changed.

Alice turned to face me so that I could look directly into her bright blue eyes instead of the mirror's pale reflection. "Bella, you know I can't stay mad at you, but I do hope you trust me enough in the future to be honest about how you are feeling and what's going on in your life."

"I do trust you and I want to be more open. I need to make up for years of missed 'female bonding time,'" I replied with absolute sincerity. "But don't be surprised if I don't become an open book overnight. Sadly it may take awhile to undo some of my worse habits."

Alice kept me in suspense for a few heartbeats before letting me know I was forgiven. "But since I am letting you off fairly easily, that means you cannot complain about anything I do to you tonight."

So I obviously walked right into that one, which means I no longer had the one veto previously negotiated. But I figured it was a small price to pay for her forgiveness.

As it turns out though, I spoke too soon as sixty minutes later I found myself in impossibly tight skinny jeans, a blue silk tunic top that showed entirely too much cleavage, and stiletto heels that should be illegal for me to wear considering my clumsiness. Alice had also given my hair more volume than I would have thought possible; sections from the sides and front were pulled up and back in some twisty maneuver that I would never be able to reproduce if I wanted to, while the rest cascaded down my back in soft curls. And my face – well, let's just say that I barely recognized myself. My eyes had that smoky thing going on, my cheek bones particularly popped off my face and my lips were a color I would never have considered putting on in a thousand years.

I would have needed half a dozen vetoes to adjust the look down to my usual comfort level. I absolutely would never agree to go out in public like this if given the choice. But at the same time… well, I wouldn't have even admitted this to Alice, except I was trying really hard to do the honesty thing.

"I look hot."

"Why do you sound so surprised? You are hot. I just ramped the thermostat up a few notches. Now go relax in the living room while I finish getting ready."

I was halfway to the kitchen when she yelled from behind the closed bathroom door, "I said living room." Damn, the girl really is psychic. "You are only allowed near the refrigerator if you can find food that can be popped into the mouth without touching your make-up."

Two dozen grapes later, Alice emerged from the back room looking flawless as ever. She had on a pale green baby doll dress and her hair was pulled off her face with a cream colored ribbon.

"We better take off since the party started 10 minutes ago."

"What! But you said we didn't have to be there until 8:30."

"Yes, that's when we are arriving. I told everyone else eight. Don't look at me like that. I know you would have wanted to be there first if you knew the actual start time, but the look I created for you demands an entrance. Don't worry, they won't start the wine and chocolate tasting until we get there."

"So, what, the honesty thing only goes one way?"

Alice laughed as she led me out of the apartment, but I noticed that she didn't actually acknowledge my question with an answer.

The cab ride to downtown Seattle was quick as most people were already at dinner or hadn't started their evenings yet. Alice paid the driver as he pulled up to the confectionary on Pine Street. I was secretly excited for the evening she had planned despite the fact that I was the reason for the gathering. Alice may have only known me a few months as opposed to years, but she did already have a good grasp on how to ensure a Happy Bella. If I had to endure a party in my honor, then pumping me full of gourmet chocolates and top dollar wine was the way to go. It was also kind-of cool to see the "Store Closed: Private Party" sign on the door.

As we entered the front shop, I could hear laughter and music from behind a partition towards the back of the room. An older woman with a branded apron came from a side door just as we were heading towards the noise.

"Ms. Brandon, it is lovely to see you again. I think you will find everything set up as you requested. I believe all of the other guests have arrived, which must mean that your friend here is Ms. Swan. Happy Birthday and welcome to The Chocolate Box."

She tried to juggle the four bottles of wines in her arms so we could shake hands, but I waved her off with a smile and greeting of my own.

"Well, let's head on back then. If you will just follow me…"

As we rounded the partition, I instinctively looked down at my feet. I was hoping to avoid my trademark blush when everyone's attention was pulled towards me. Sure enough, I heard a chorus of "Happy Birthday, Bella" before our hostess took charge.

"Why don't we go on and start the tasting and then you will have time to mingle and browse our shop afterwards. We can have our guest of honor sit at the front of the table, if someone wouldn't mind pulling out the Birthday Girl's chair as I have my hands full."

From the corner of my still lowered eyes, I saw four different individuals move towards the chair she indicated. I had already walked past Mike and Eric, who I noticed didn't move from their spots. They had apparently learned their lesson about where the line was drawn in terms of my relationship with them. Although that probably won't have stopped Mike, being the chivalrous guy that he is, but Jessica had him anchored to her side.

I finally lifted my eyes to the far end of the room and instantly stopped in my tracks, taking in the sight of the four men hovering by my designated chair. The first looked a little awkward, but gave me a warm smile when I met his stare. The second was cool as a cucumber per his normal mode of operation. His lips curled up in a sexy smirk, his eyebrows raised in what appeared to be a challenge. I just wasn't sure who he saw as his opponent. The third wouldn't look at me, but instead swung his head back and forth scowling at the men on either side of him. And the fourth opened his muscular arms wide as if he expected me to fling myself into an embrace.

"Well, this should be an interesting evening," I heard Alice muttered from behind me.

That may be the understatement of the century.


	10. Birthday Girl

**Chapter Ten: Birthday Girl**

Since the four men who originally started to pull out my chair had stopped once they noticed their competition, for lack of a better word, Emmett pushed in front of them with his usual exuberance and motioned me towards my seat.

"So, Birthday Girl, I have to be honest. My plan is to get you drunk tonight and see how badly you can embarrass yourself."

"Thanks for the heads up, Em," I returned, "but I think I will aim to keep my wits about me if possible."

Pulling me into a hug, Emmett replied with a whisper and a smirk, "yeah, you probably will need to be sober to juggle all the admirers behind me."

As he released me from the friendly embrace, I was practically assaulted by Leah who grabbed my arm.

"Bella, I would like you to meet my brother Seth," my co-worker beamed as she indicated the first man in line behind Emmett. Seth stepped forward and shook my hand. Fingers that were warm, caressing, and tentative all at the same time pumped mine for several beats. We exchanged a few of the normal first meeting pleasantries before another voice demanded my attention.

"So am I going to get a proper hello myself?" His tone was light and carefree, but I knew him well enough to pick up on a hint of nervousness at the edge. I quickly let my eyes scan past James and Edward, without really taking either of them in, before settling on Jake. He opened his arms once again, or maybe they had been opened the whole time anticipating a physical connection after so many months apart.

"Jake, what are you doing here?" I didn't move from my spot, so he quickly stepped forward and swept me into his taller and broader frame. As he lifted me off my feet and spun us around once, I couldn't help but laugh out loud at the absurdness of the scene.

Setting me back down, this 'blast from my past' answered with a huge grin on his face. "Did you really think I would miss a chance to be with you on your birthday? I had just arrived at SeaTac Airport when I called earlier. I was just happy you gave up the details of your planned evening so easily so I didn't have to ruin the surprise."

Jake's voice then lowered to a husky cadence as he stepped back into my body. "I meant what I said on the phone, Bella. I have really missed you, and it meant so much to me to hear you say that back."

Jake leaned in for a kiss, and it is impossible to say if I would have let him complete the gesture or not. As it were, I was reminded of where we were physically and where I was in my life emotionally right now when movement from the left caught my eye. Edward had broken out of the tighter circle around the front table and moved quickly to take a seat on the far side of the room. As I glanced around at the other guests, it became obvious that Edward was the only one _not_ currently staring at Jake and me. I hadn't realized that all conversation had stopped.

Hoping to bring some normalcy back to the evening and take myself out of this whirlwind of drama, I addressed the group while making the appropriate gestures.

"Thanks everyone for coming to celebrate my birthday. I think most of you know each other, but in case you missed her introduction, this is Leah's brother Seth and this is Jake, a friend of mine from Phoenix." Jake's face frowned at my choice of words. What did he expect me to introduce him as? My ex-boyfriend who I used to live with and was practically engaged to at one point who I now considered a good friend that I sadly might be just a tad dependent on but who wants much more from our current relationship than I am willing to give? Yeah, that would have rolled right off the tongue. As it was, I am pretty sure most of the people there knew exactly who Jake was.

Sue, the shop's owner, turned back around from the side counter where she had been uncorking the bottles of white wine she had just brought out. She must have picked up on the tension in the air, but God bless her soul, Sue continued with her organization of the evening without missing a beat. I sat down in my somewhat infamous chair while Sue directed everyone else to take a seat at one of the four bistro tables clustered close together in the room. Jake sat at my table, which I guess should be expected since he didn't know anyone else, but Alice managed to position herself between the two of us. I wasn't complaining. Leah and Seth took the two remaining seats.

Luckily, there was little room for extraneous conversation over the next forty minutes as Sue walked the eighteen of us - she had needed to get an extra chair to accommodate the party crasher from Arizona - through the history and origin of each chocolate she presented and the corresponding wine pairing. Being a sponge for any new trivia, I loved hearing about the different varieties of both the food and drink. Even though it was suppose to be an "educational evening," there was still lots of laughter from the group as a whole. I could hear Rose berating Emmett for gulping his wine, which he answered by trying to chug directly from the nearest bottle. Luckily Jasper stopped him. Mike couldn't stop lamenting the fact that his favorite candy bars weren't really chocolate because the cacao percentage was too low. And Angela kept us entertained with stories of her summers working at the Boehm's candy factory in nearby Issaquah. I could just picture her in that famous chocolate scene with Lucy and Ethel from the 50's TV show.

Once Sue finished with the formal presentation, she invited us to look around the shop while finishing off the many open bottles of wine.

"Jake, why don't I introduce you around while Bella talks to some of her other guests." Alice pulled him away from our table before Jake could actually respond to her suggestion, so it was really more of a command. I was thankful that both had been on their best behavior during the presentation, all comments were directly related to the topic at hand and no references were made to Jake and my prior relationship or where we currently stood. But I could tell that Alice's new goal for the evening was to keep Jake and me apart. Again, I wasn't necessarily complaining. I was touched that Jake flew out here for my birthday before heading to Manhattan to start his job next week, but having my past and present merge like this left me feeling uneasy.

Leah had already left for the bathroom and Seth was thankfully engaged in a Mariners conversation with Eric, who was sitting at the table beside ours, so I was able to slip away to refill my glass from the side counter. My moment of solitude did not last long, however, as I immediately felt a presence behind me. I swung around hoping it would be Edward, who had managed to avoid all eye contact since I arrived. I wasn't sure what he was thinking, as usual, but I was desperate for any kind of connection with him. Although I had seen him at work on Friday, four days had passed since our last carefree evening together at the office. Ever since our routine started, I dreaded the long stretch over the weekends until our next dinner on Monday.

As I turned, I came face-to-face not with emerald eyes, but icy blue versions.

"Happy Birthday, Bella," James declared as he kissed my cheek. I wanted to believe it was a strictly friendly gesture, but his warm lips lingered a little too long and his fingers brushed down my bare arm as he pulled back. Without my permission, a slight shiver ran through my body. This was no where close to the current that jolted my system whenever Edward and I touched, but I couldn't deny that James affected me as well. The problem was that I couldn't shake the feeling that James wasn't really that interested in me as a person, but more concerned with how his perceived interest affected someone else in the room. He stopped by my cube at least once each day to say hi or offer advice, but suspiciously his visits seem to often precede the daily status meetings that my team had in the conference room across from my workspace. Edward and he would practically growl at each other when they passed in the hallway. Even though I still doubted Edward had feelings for me beyond that of co-workers and friends, it obviously pissed him off that I had anything at all to do with James. But since he had already warned me, Edward knew me well enough to let the topic go.

"Thanks for coming, James."

"I wouldn't have missed the evening. It is great to see you away from the office, especially looking as breathtaking as you do tonight." Cue my blush. "I must admit that I have been a little worried about you, Bella, so I am thankful for a chance to speak privately."

I frowned at James as I replied. "Do you mean the long hours? I really don't mind." I had run into James quite a few times on our floor after most people had left the office for the evening, so I knew he also stayed late occasionally.

"It's not the hours as much as the company you keep. I have noticed you having dinner with Cullen on more than one occasion. I know he is your supervisor currently, but I would advise you not to be alone with him in his office, especially when there aren't any witnesses around."

Okay, this whole turf war or whatever that was going on between those two was getting ridiculous, and it annoyed me that I was somehow getting sucked into the conflict. I didn't hesitate to let James know exactly what I thought of the situation.

"What exactly is your problem with Edward? Yes, we do sometimes keep each other company when we are both working late, just like Mike and I sometimes go to lunch together to break up the monotony of the day. I really don't see where it is any of your concern."

"Bella, I am just looking out for your best interests. Cullen sadly has a history of sexually harassing female employees." James must have noticed the shocked look on my face, so he continued, seeming to enjoy the conversation more than I would have liked.

"So I was right that you supposed friend Alice didn't warn you. That is why Cullen doesn't like me. Because I had the common decency to stand up for the last woman he harassed, something that I would have expected from anyone at this company. Of course he ended up with barely a slap on the wrist while Victoria had to find a new job. Must be nice to have friends in high places…" James glanced over to Emmett and Rose with that last statement, the bitterness very evident in his voice.

"I can't believe that Edward would do that to someone," I stated with as much conviction as possible.

"Yeah, he tends to fool most people. It started off innocently enough. Casual flirting that eventually turned into more. Victoria was receptive at first, even though she felt a little strange dating a co-worker. But then Cullen got really demanding and starting doing and saying things at work that were highly inappropriate, even between two people who had a relationship outside of the office. Victoria got uncomfortable and tried to break things off. By that time Cullen had been promoted to manager. He threatened to get her fired if she didn't continue sleeping with him. Victoria ended things anyway, so Cullen retaliated by giving her a bad performance review and assigning her all of the crap jobs on the project, basically reducing her to the status of a copy girl."

I wasn't sure at first how to respond to this revelation. Was this the story from Edward's past that Alice had referred to earlier in the evening? If so, there had to be more to it than James' water-downed and probably biased version.

"Okay, you have said your piece, but I plan on reserving judgment until I hear Edward's side of the story."

"Fine, but don't expect him to tell the truth. Of course he will continue to lie to save his own ass. I am trying to give you the facts based on an outsider's perceptive. It is your choice what do with the information," James responded angrily before turning to stalk off.

A second later he paused and faced me again, letting out a deep sigh in the process. "Look, I am sorry to dump all this on you tonight of all nights, but I thought you had the right to know. I need to take off now, but please think about what I told you." He turned again and left the store while all I could do was stare after him.

"What was all that about?" Rose asked as she approached from the other direction.

She probably had the answers to many of the questions now banging around in my head, but this didn't seem like the time or place. Plus, part of me wanted to get Edward's side directly from him, assuming he would even open up about the topic.

"Oh, nothing much. He was just saying good-bye." I chanced a glance at Edward and found him looking at me for the first time tonight. His stare was piercing, and I briefly wondered if he guessed what James and I had been discussing. I gave him a warm smile in response, but Edward simply turned his head back towards the group he was standing beside.

Angela and Jessica wandered over after Rosalie and the four of us slipped into easy conversation. At one point though, Jake came over and looped his long arm around my shoulders. Apparently he didn't notice how my body tensed or the glare that Rose directed his way. Or maybe he did notice those things, but just chose to ignore them.

"Do you ladies mind excusing us? I have barely had a chance to spend time with my Bella here?" The possessiveness in his tone was hard to miss.

I shrugged off Jake's arm as my friends made their escape. Even if Jake hadn't picked up on my mood towards him, they most certainly had.

I suggested that we go outside under the excuse that I wanted some fresh air. In reality, I was afraid there might be a scene which I had no desire to subject the other guests to.

Leaning against the outside of the building, I took a deep breath before starting. "Jake, thank you for flying all the way here for my birthday, but I do want to make it clear that nothing has changed. I agreed that we could try and be friends, and that is still what I would like, but nothing more."

"But, Bells, I thought this gesture would prove my commitment to you, to us." He actually had the nerve to look slightly annoyed. "Look, I am here until Wednesday, so let's just spend that time reconnecting. After three days together, if you still feel that you don't want more from our relationship then I will back off."

"That plan would work in theory, but I am not sure how much time I will be able to spend with you between work and other commitments." The 'other' was dinner tomorrow night with Edward, but I figured bringing that up wouldn't make this conversation go any easier.

"Oh, that's easy to fix. I had already planned for you to take the time off. I figured we could take a ferry ride tomorrow, and I really want to visit the Experience Music Project—"

"Jake, I can't take off work right now, especially without any notice."

"Sure you can. They won't miss you for a couple of days. I mean come on, Bella, your role there can't be that important seeing as you have only worked for the company a couple of months. So someone else has to take notes at meetings, no big deal."

Okay, now he'd done it. "I really resent that comment, Jake. As hard as it may be for you to believe, I am in fact a very valued member of my team. I have been given a lot of responsibility, and I am damn good at my job." I could feel the anger building now, but decided to rein things in for the time being. "Look, we obviously have some things to discuss, but I would rather not do it here or now. We can talk more tomorrow. Where are you staying?"

Jake looked confused. "With you, of course. Sue has my bags stored here at the shop for now."

"I don't think that is a good idea all things considered. There is a hotel about five blocks north of here. Why don't you go check in and I will call you in the morning. We can have breakfast before I go to work."

"Are you trying to dismiss me?" Jake was no longer trying to contain his own anger.

"No, you are welcome to stay, but we aren't continuing this conversation right not nor do I plan on pretending in front of my friends that we are a couple."

"Oh, I get it." The venom in his voice was thick. "I saw how some of those other guys were looking at you, which is not a surprise given the slutty outfit you have on. What, am I interrupting the bed hopping that you have probably started since moving out here?"

Without any conscious thought, my hand reached back and slapped Jake hard across the face. A few people passing on the sidewalk glanced our way, but I hardly noticed through my red haze.

"How dare you? There might have been a time when I put up with your domineering attitude and insults, but not anymore. I think you need to go now, and yes, that is a dismissal. Don't even bother coming back into the store. I will ask Sue to send your bags to the Sheraton after our group leaves. You may still get a call from me in the morning, but don't hold your breath."

With that, I turned away from Jake and went back in to join my friends. Although I probably appeared relatively calm on the outside – no one even committed on my reappearance – inside the emotions were cascading through my body one after another. Hurt, angry, embarrassment, resentment. But the one that was starting to suppress the others was pride.

I walked over to the nearest cluster of people and joined their conversation about movies that were currently in the theater. If people were curious about what happened to Jake, no one asked. I am sure I would get the third degree from Alice later, but for now, I was trying to let myself enjoy the company. I didn't want to let Jake or James ruin my birthday.

Not long afterwards, Alice announced it was time to head to Twilight so the group thanked Sue and walked out into the warm Seattle evening, quickly covering the four blocks down First Avenue. Emmett and Mike each bought me a shot as soon as we got to the bar, which I agreed to drink with the understanding that those would be my last for the night. To be honest, I was hoping for a little buzz to take my mind off the two guests who had already left.

The group grabbed some tables, and the laughter and chatter continued. The shots must have done their magic quickly because I actually accepted Seth's invitation to dance. It was a fast song, so I dragged Alice and Jasper out as well. Others from the group joined us, so it wasn't long before we had our own little circle in the center of the dance floor. Angela was trying without luck to teach me a few moves when I felt the phone in my pocket vibrate. I could barely make out the text message in the dim lights of the bar.

_Sorry to leave without saying good-bye in person, but I didn't want to interrupt your dance with Seth. I hope you enjoy the rest of your birthday. ~E_

I frantically searched the crowd near our tables for the familiar bronze hair, but Edward must have already left. Did he realize that not only did he not say good-bye tonight, but he also never said hello?


	11. Three Months Later

**Chapter Eleven: Three Months Later**

"I was up half the night thinking through this whole situation, and I came to one glaring conclusion." Jake took a deep breath before continuing, seemingly to give the next point extra emphasis. "Bella, you've changed. You are not the same girl I met four years ago."

If it weren't for the sincerity and sadness in his voice, I would have laughed out loud. Of course I had changed. That was the whole point.

Despite not getting much sleep and having a slight hang-over this morning, I had texted Jake that I would meet him at the Starbucks in front of Westlake Center before work if he wanted to talk. We now sat over steaming cups of coffee like battle-weary soldiers, both tired from fighting but not sure how to move forward.

"Yes," I finally responded, "and that is why I am convinced you are no longer actually in love with me, but with the younger, more needy version of myself that you refuse to let go of."

"I guess you're right. When you ended things in the spring I was angry, but also convinced that you were just going through a 'bitch phase' and that it was only a matter of time before you came crawling back to me." I cringed at Jake's choice of words, which he seemed to expect as he quickly continued. "I know that sounds harsh, but it is what I thought at the time. In the months that followed, when you didn't contact me and I heard that you had in fact moved to Seattle, I started to really consider how I treated you, especially towards the end of our relationship. As we have discussed many times on the phone, I do honestly regret a lot of my past actions and wanted to make things up to you. That is still true, despite the fact that the jackass in me unfortunately made a re-appearance last night."

"I really believe that you want to make things right between us, but I honestly don't think we are meant to be more than friends at this point in our lives. You are looking for someone who will ultimately be a stay-at-home wife and mom, and there is nothing wrong with that, as long as you treat her with respect and as an equal partner in the relationship. I may have easily fit into that role in the past, but not anymore. It turns out I am pretty career-driven myself. But there is also more to our incompatibility than our respective work choices. When we first met, I was lost, wandering through life. You gave me direction, made decisions for me, and it was very comforting at the time. I didn't mind giving up so much control. But I have grown a lot since then and can now stand on my own two feet. I _want_ to stand on my own. You though want to have someone to take care of and guide, which again isn't a bad thing, just no longer the right thing for me."

Jake stared at the table for a minute, absent-mindedly pushing the insulator band up and down on his coffee cup. He finally looked up with a sad smile.

"I should be offended that you are making all these assumptions about what _I_ want, but the fact of the matter is you are right. I guess I was hoping that you might still want some of those things too, but I think deep down I knew things weren't going to work out between us. The contentment in your voice whenever we talked on the phone was hard to ignore. It was obvious that you had made a new life here already and were happy with your choices. I just couldn't help but try one more time to win you back before moving to Manhattan."

"Hey, trust me, I'm no prize."

"Yeah, I am starting to see that more and more," Jake replied with a cocky grin. In response, I reached across the table and playfully slugged his shoulder.

"Look, as much fun as it might be to sit around while you make what would probably be a long list of Bella's bad qualities, I need to take off for work. I will be at the office until late tonight, but I can meet up for drinks around 9:00 PM if you want."

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I will do a little sightseeing today and then try to catch a flight out this evening. I suddenly have an urgent desire to start my road trip to New York sooner than later. If we're not getting back together, then I need to start looking ASAP for someone to fill your shoes."

"Pig!" I shot back in mock disgust as we threw away our cups and headed out the door.

I hugged Jake outside of the coffeehouse and wondered when I would see him again, the man who had been the most important person in my life for many years.

"Bella, even though things didn't turn out how I _thought_ I wanted them to, I am glad I made this trip to Seattle. I would rather leave things like this than how we ended everything back in Phoenix."

"I couldn't agree more, Jake," I said with a genuine smile. "And I am sorry again for slapping you last night."

"Oh, I definitely deserved it. Not that it is any excuse for my behavior and the hurtful things I said, but I threw back way too much wine during the course of the evening, on top of the three drinks I had on the plane. I guess I was a little nervous about seeing you again."

"All is forgiven. And don't be surprised if I show up unexpectedly on your doorstep in Manhattan one of these days. I have always wanted to visit the east coast. Of course, it will be strictly a friendly visit," I quickly added.

"Of course," he replied before giving me one more tight hug and turning to head back towards his hotel.

I walked the seven blocks to Meyer and rode the elevator up to the twelfth floor in deep thought. I was immensely happy that one part of the drama from last night was now behind me, but I still had other issues to contend with. I hadn't decided what if anything to do with the information from James. Ask Alice or Rose for more details? Confront Edward? Just ignore the "warning"? I also knew my pixie friend would want to grill me about Jake, and although that situation had been resolved, I still wasn't looking forward to our conversation. I had managed to delay Alice's probing last night as she wasn't about to complain when I accepted a ride home with Seth instead of her. She had seen Seth and me huddled in a corner at Twilight talking and laughing, and of course dancing together - luckily he was as uncoordinated as me, so we had fun just being silly. Seth and I had really clicked, and I loved hanging out with him. Alice kept giving me knowing looks and winks as the night progressed. What my best friend _didn't_ know was that Seth confessed at one point that he was actually already in a serious relationship with someone from his church. The only reason he had agreed to tag along with Leah to my party was to get her off his back. Apparently Seth wasn't ready to come out to his family yet so they didn't know about Jared.

The ding from the elevator brought me back to the present. Once I exited onto our floor, I couldn't resist seeking out Edward. I wasn't sure why he was so distant last night, but I assumed things would be back to normal between us today.

"Hey you," I started once I found Edward in the break room refilling his coffee cup. "Thanks for coming to my party last night. I'm just sorry we didn't have a chance to talk."

"No worries," he replied while replacing the glass pot. "There were a lot of people there. Of course there was no need to single me out. I normally won't have even bothered going to a work associate's birthday party, but I wanted to keep Jasper company since I figured Alice would understandably be focused on you."

His posture was too rigid. His words and tone too harsh. And Edward seemed to be trying too hard to avoid eye contact. I attempted to push down the panic making its way through my body, trying to convince myself that he was just having a bad morning and I was reading too much into his response.

"Yeah… well…" I was searching for something, anything to say to fix this, but the problem was that I didn't know what exactly was broken.

I wasn't sure if I was more relieved or frustrated when my phone started ringing at that exact moment. I flipped open the cell after checking caller id. Edward turned to leave, but I held up my hand to stop him.

"Can I call you back later, Alice? I'm in the middle of a conversation right now."

"Oh, this will only take a second. I wanted to see if you are free for dinner tonight. I can bring sandwiches there and we can grab a conference room if you need to stay at work. I just don't want to wait until our normal Tuesday rendezvous to dish about everything that happened at your party."

"Sorry, Alice, I don't think I will be able to take much of a break tonight. Why don't I just wait and call you after I get home." It's not that I was actually avoiding Alice. After all, I had promised to be more open in our friendship. But it was Monday, which I was extremely thankful for. I always desperately looked forward to the twice-weekly dinners with Edward, but I figured it was especially important for the two of us to connect tonight so I could figure out what was wrong. Something was obviously stressing him out, and I was positive he would open up to me once we were away from our friends and co-workers. Maybe I could even bring up what James told me.

"Are you sure I can't get you to reconsider? Otherwise, I am going to be all lonely since Edward is apparently insisting that Jasper play basketball with him tonight."

"What did you say?" I looked up at Edward, who I was sure could hear Alice's side of the conversation. The girl has no sense of volume control. He shrugged as if in answer to my unspoken question to him before strolling out of the break room.

"I said that Jasper has plans with Edward so I'm on my own tonight. Who are you talking to that you are obviously paying so little attention to moi?"

"Look, Alice, I have to go, but I will call you back later, okay?" I hung up before she could respond as I hurried after Edward. I caught up with him right outside of his office. Since I obviously couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, I was just going to ask.

"Edward, what's going on? Why are you acting so strange? Did I do something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong" was his curt reply.

"But what about tonight…" I trailed off not really sure how to express my disappointment that we wouldn't be having dinner together.

"I'm not sure what you mean, but as an FYI, I wanted to let you know that my work load will be a little lighter for at least the next few weeks now that this past weekend's server upgrade is behind us. Thankfully, I will now be able to get out of here at a decent time every night. I know you will still need to be here late most evenings, so I wanted to let you know my schedule in case you have any problems with the system. Of course even though I won't be here physically, you can feel free to call or text if any work-related issues come up."

"Work-related issues…" I repeated back unconsciously, my mind and body both going numb.

"Of course. Why else would we need to be in touch after hours?"

I stared at Edward trying to process what was happening, what he was obviously trying to communicate to me. I noticed for the first time the dark circles under his eyes and the worry lines on his forehead that weren't there yesterday. His expression was pained but determined.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked in almost a whisper, trying to will some warmth back into the cold eyes that were currently looking back at me.

"All I am doing, Isabella, is re-establishing some more appropriate boundaries for our relationship. I know you thought of me as 'hot and cold' when we first met. I apologize again for being so inconsistent in how I treated you. I can promise you now that I won't go back and forth anymore. As it turns out I was wrong to think we could be friends. Going forward, we are professional colleagues and nothing more. End of discussion."

I'm not sure how I would have responded if given a chance, but I wasn't. Edward turned and closed his office door behind him, leaving me standing alone in the hall.

Edward was true to his word. For the rest of the week, he was polite and respectful, but any interaction we had was directly related to work topics. Our conversations were limited, and short and to the point when they did occur. Edward also seemed to avoid ever being alone with me. Instead of stopping by my cubicle to ask a question or check on my progress with an assignment, he would send ridiculously formal emails that would make any business professor proud. The only time he sought me out was on Wednesday to announce that they were temporarily locking down everyone's access to the production databases. Something about a problem with the system that was being investigated. I would just have to work exclusively in the test environment until the issue was resolved.

I _had_ tried to talk to Edward about our personal relationship again on Tuesday, thinking maybe he would be in a better mindset after a good night's rest, but Edward made it clear that he wouldn't participate in any discussions not related to work.

My heart broke a little more each day.

Unfortunately opening up to Alice about the situation didn't solve any problems. When we talked over salami sandwiches on Tuesday, I admitted to the Monday and Wednesday dinners and how Edward and I had grown closer over the past weeks, but that for some reason, he was now pushing me away. Despite knowing him longer, Alice was just as clueless as me about how to get Edward to let his wall back down. He had actually started avoiding her as well since my party.

After trying to put up somewhat of a brave front all week, I finally broke down at her apartment Saturday afternoon. I had shown up unexpectedly, desperate for a friend's comfort after wallowing alone in my apartment all morning.

Alice held me on her couch, rocking my body back and forth until the sobs subsided. That is when she asked the question out loud that had hovered in the back of my mind for awhile now. A question I had previously refused to consider for the sake of my own sanity.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Alice seemed a little surprised by her own question, as if the thought had just occurred to her.

A humorless laugh escaped my lips. "How could I possible be in love with the man? I have known him less than three months, and during that time, I have hardly seen him outside of the office. Neither of us have ever said anything remotely romantic to each other, much less shared any kind of physical intimacy. I mean really, Alice. How would it be possible to be in love with someone you have never even kissed?"

Although I wasn't crying anymore, I was well aware that hysteria was creeping into my voice. I had stood and was pacing wildly around her small living room during my rant.

Alice remained on the couch, perfectly at ease, exuding a calm aura despite my current disposition. Almost casually she stated, "You didn't answer my question."

As I turned to look at my friend, who dared to let the corners of her mouth turn up slightly in a smile, I felt my resolve crumble. All of the feelings for Edward I had been trying to deny came tumbling forward in my mind. What had started as an intense physical attraction had in fact morphed into something much more along the way. My knees went weak at the sudden realization, or maybe acceptance would be a better choice of words. I half sat, half fell back on the couch beside Alice. When I spoke, everything came out in a rush of uncensored thoughts.

"I think about him all of the time when I am awake and dream about him most nights. I am drawn to Edward with an intensity that I wouldn't have suspected was possible. I feel like part of me is missing when I am away from him, and despite the cold shoulder treatment this past week, I still breath easier during team meetings because he is only a few feet away, even though my heart aches at the same time. Edward is everything I never even realized I wanted in my life. Everything that I _need_ in my life."

"You love him," Alice stated with more confidence, her smile widening.

"Yes, damn it, I love him, but I don't understand why that is something to smile about considering the man is barely speaking to me right now."

"I am smiling because I just realized that Edward must love you too, otherwise he wouldn't be working so hard to push you away."

"Of course, that makes perfect sense," I responded, the sarcasm dipping from my tongue. The truth though was that I _had_ thought Edward was developing feelings for me, despite the fact that I had in the past refused to consciously acknowledge even the possibility. It was just hard to believe that the pull I felt, the connection and bond formed during all those late nights, was one-sided.

Alice's voice distracted me from my own internal monologue. "Look, I know I said last Sunday that you shouldn't wait around for Edward, but that was before I realized how strong your feelings were. You owe it to yourself to see this through. To find some way to make Edward get past his own issues so that the two of you can be together."

Mention of our last conversation at Alice's apartment brought another topic to the forefront of my mind. Something I had been putting off asking my friend about.

"What do you know about the allegation that Edward sexually harassed a co-worker last year?"

"So you heard about that, huh? Shit, that means that the gossip mongers are still at it. I was hoping enough time had passed so that everyone would just drop the subject. No wonder Edward hasn't been able to move on himself." Alice seemed to be talking more to herself at first, but she finally focused on me again. "Who told you?"

"James."

"Really?" Alice appeared surprised.

"At my party. He said he wanted to warn me, although if that was truly the case, I have since wondered why he didn't drop that little bomb on me earlier. According to him, Edward was definitely guilty, but I refuse to believe that. I assume James just wanted to make Edward look bad in my eyes. Those two obviously dislike each other, and I have trouble believing the animosity only started when James defended this Victoria woman, which was the story he gave me."

"You have that part right. Apparently Edward and James have a long history of despising each other. I wasn't working at Volterra at the time, but Rose once told me they got in a pissing contest their very first day. The 'which is better, UW or WSU' debate taken to a whole new level. Since they started in the same orientation group, it was natural that they would continue to compete. Who got assigned to his initial project first, who got a higher performance rating, who got promoted first… the list goes on and on. To be honest, I have chosen to ignore their conflict for the most part. I don't know James that well, but he has always seemed like a nice enough guy, despite being a little shallow and too career-driven for my tastes. I hadn't realized he had anything to do with the allegation against Edward."

"What _do_ you know about it?"

"Not much to be honest. Edward never confided in me, so unfortunately most of my information comes from the grapevine." Alice paused, taking a sip of the wine she had gotten out earlier before continuing.

"Victoria and Edward were both staffed at Washington Mutual when they started dating. I always thought the two of them were discreet from what I saw, but it definitely wasn't a secret that they were a couple. They split up after only a few months though, around the time that Edward got promoted. After that, it became a 'he said/she said.' Victoria claimed that Edward had been sexually harassing her both before and after the relationship officially ended. She bad-mouthed Edward to anyone who would listen. He denied that the poor performance review and shift in responsibilities had anything to do with their personal relationship. At least I assume he did. Edward never said anything about the situation publicly, but instead dealt with the allegation behind closed doors with the human resources director and the senior partners."

"Everyone in the office took sides and things got ugly. Those who knew Edward personally adamantly defended him; people who knew Victoria were split – apparently she had made a lot of enemies; but those who didn't know either of them well tended to side with the 'victim.' The company took Victoria's accusations seriously and fully investigated, but I wasn't surprised to learn there wasn't enough evidence to condemn Edward. Apparently Victoria couldn't bear to continue working at Volterra after that, so they offered her a hefty severance package when she left, which I suspected she was after all along. What I _can_ say with certainty is that she had received poor performance reviews in the past from other supervisors – I couldn't resist pulling her personnel file – and that Edward had approached me as the staffing coordinator as soon as he got word of his promotion with a request to transfer him to another project. He didn't want to be her supervisor, Bella, but unfortunately his skill set was desperately needed there so my hands were tied. Not that it helps him, but there has thankfully been a change in our HR policies since then. Under the revision, two people who are currently in a relationship or who dated in the past cannot be in a position where one supervises the other, regardless of client needs."

"At least Edward didn't lose his job." Not the most intelligent response based on everything Alice had just told me, but my predominant emotion at the time was immense relief at Edward's vindication, even though everything took place over a year ago. Of course I also felt a large dose of hatred towards the vile woman who had falsely accused Edward, seeing as there was no doubt in my mind that Edward didn't do anything wrong.

"Yeah, but just because his name was officially cleared didn't mean that everyone considered him innocent. There was still a lot of doubt and mud slinging. It didn't help that Edward never defended himself. To many, that was a sure sign of guilt. My guess is that he would have left Volterra as well if it wasn't for the fact that his soiled reputation would have followed. Seattle is too small of a town within our industry, and for better or worse, Edward would never consider moving away from his parents."

Although Alice didn't know the whole story, she knew enough to shed light on Edward's behavior. At least from where I was sitting. Of course he wouldn't want to put himself in a position to be accused again of sexual harassment. Why give a co-worker that much power? The sad part was that he probably saw conspiracies against him everywhere. Not only had Victoria damaged his reputation, she apparently destroyed Edward's ability to trust people.

Somehow I would just have to convince him that I was different. That he could trust me. But the question was did he even want to? Maybe I wasn't worth the risk in his eyes.

Two days later I was back at work and still trying to decide how to proceed with Edward. I had spent all Sunday debating with my heart and mind. As Alice discerned, I was in love with him and that wasn't something I was going to be able to turn off anytime soon. I also realized that I couldn't continue living with the new status quo Edward had established. It hurt too much to not even have our friendship anymore, and of course, as I was willing to admit now, I desperately wanted more from him emotionally _and_ physically. Seeing him everyday at the office but not truly connecting on any level other than as co-workers was pain beyond measure.

So I had come up with a list of options. I could press Edward and force him to re-evaluate our relationship. I would lay all the cards on the table including what I knew about his past and what I suspected about his current stance regarding me, that it was really just an understandable defense mechanism. The problem with that option was that I risked total rejection. Right now I could convince myself that Edward wanted to be with me, but that there were just too many obstacles in our way. But what if that wasn't the case? Could I emotionally deal with a whole new level of heartache?

If I wasn't willing to confront Edward, then I had accepted that I would need to leave Meyer. Maybe I could get transferred to a new project or perhaps my only choice would be to quit Volterra entirely. I briefly considered that Edward might be willing to pursue a relationship if we were no longer co-workers, but how could he respect me as a person when I had so obviously ran away from my problems? Besides, I _wanted_ to stay at the company. I had worked hard to get to this place in my life, and I didn't want to give it up without a fight.

For the umpteenth time that morning, I tried to push my personal problems to the back of my mind so I could concentrate on the task at hand. The computer program I had been working on was failing to compile for some reason. There was no real hurry since I wouldn't be able to upload it to the production database until programmer access was restored, but I was still extremely frustrated. I had been staring at the code for almost an hour but couldn't seem to find the problem. I usually love this part of my job, hunting for hidden mistakes, but my heart wasn't in it today.

I was just thinking about taking a break for lunch or maybe even asking Mike or someone else to look at the code when an unfamiliar voice called my name. I turned around to see two strangers in formal suits standing in my cubicle. A sense of foreboding settled over me and a shiver of dread ran down my spine. And that was _before_ they introduced themselves as FBI agents and requested that I follow them.


	12. When It All Falls Apart

**Chapter Twelve: When It All Falls Apart**

"So, Miss Swan, I assume you know why you are here," prompted the man who had identified himself as Agent Banner. We were sitting at a nondescript table in an interrogation room at the Seattle field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The original two men who detained me at the bank had left me alone in this room for the past twenty minutes. I assumed the wait was to make me antsy and nervous. Their strategy had worked.

I pulled my eyes from the "mirror" on the opposite wall. I had been staring at my reflection wondering who was on the other side and what they expected me to say.

"Actually, Agent Banner, I have no idea why I am here," I replied trying to exude confidence I didn't feel.

"Miss Swan, this would go a lot quicker and easier if you were honest with us."

I remained quiet, resenting the air of impatience and arrogance surrounding my interrogator. I thought about insisting on a lawyer, but I was afraid that would make me look guilty. I didn't know why I was there, but I kept reminding myself that I hadn't done anything wrong. Sure, I had made a mess of my personal life lately, but that wasn't a crime. I was working hard to dispel the sense of foreboding that engulfed me at the bank and on the drive over. I would answer their questions and hopefully get out of there soon. This had to be some colossal misunderstanding.

"Okay, let's try a different approach. You work for Volterra Consulting, correct?"

"Yes."

"And you have been staffed at Meyer Banking Corporation for the past…" he paused while checking the file in his hand, "eleven weeks."

"Yes."

"Tell me about your role there."

"My title is technology analyst, which is more commonly referred to as a computer analyst at other companies. Most of my time is spent analyzing existing code and making necessary changes. Occasionally I need to write small stand-alone programs to accomplish a specific task. You see Volterra was hired to completely overhaul the bank's computer systems. We have upgraded all of their servers and other hardware and are in the process of integrating several new software packages to make their overall information systems run more efficiently. My role is to make changes to the existing programs and customer databases so that they can 'talk' to the new software components. I first work in a test environment that mirrors the production system to ensure any changes or additions will compile correctly and not adversely affect other programs."

"But you have access to the 'live' production databases that contain customer information?"

"Yes…" I wasn't sure where Agent Banner was going with this line of questioning, but my anxiety level was rapidly rising. I could feel beads of sweat forming on my brow, which probably wasn't helping my attempt to project innocence.

"Let me phrase it a different way. You have access to customer bank accounts, correct?"

"Well… indirectly, I suppose. I mean it's not like I pull up a specific person's account information as part of my daily duties. I mostly work with the databases at a high level, mapping tables, adding unique keys so that the new software packages can access specific information to run reports, that type of thing."

"Are you aware that only seven people have programmer access to those databases?"

"I didn't know the exact number, but I figured it was relatively small."

"And you are the only consulting employee with that clearance; the others are all bank employees with years of proven loyalty to the company."

He didn't ask a question, so I didn't reply. I already knew I was the only Volterra employee with direct access to the production code. After all, no one else on the extended team was chained to a desktop computer for 10-12 hours each day. I well remembered the extra background and security checks before my clearance was raised back in late July. Emmett had to lobby hard to the bank executives for the role to go to me since I was so new to both Volterra and Meyer, but I was the obvious choice as I had worked with a very similar system during an internship. Besides, Volterra executives with technical backgrounds like Emmett and James focused solely on managerial responsibilities. Their hands-on coding days were long behind them.

Agent Banner pulled something out of his file and pushed the paper across the table towards me.

"Can you tell me what this is, Miss Swan?"

I was starting to get really annoyed at his questioning techniques. He obviously knew what the document was already, so why bother asking me. Nevertheless, I glanced at the paper before answering.

"A checking account statement from Meyer."

"And who is the client?"

Another glance. "Me."

"We did some checking. It appears you opened the account on your first day working at the bank."

"Yes, that is correct." The account activation form was part of the mountain of paperwork I completed that morning so many weeks ago. I remembered asking James if they expected me to transfer all my money from my Bank of America account to this one, which sounded like a lot of trouble. He reassured me that no one would care if I kept my other account as we weren't required to use the products or services of the clients we worked for; setting up an account with Meyer would just enable them to reward me periodically with incentives like savings bonds when the team met certain goals.

Looking again at the cover sheet of the multiple-page statement I realized that my address was wrong. It was a post office box instead of my apartment building. Huh, that was strange, but it did explain why I had never gotten any statements mailed to me, not that I was on the lookout for them or anything.

"Would you like to try and explain those deposits and withdrawals?" Agent Banner asked with a cocky expression as he gestured to the document in front of me.

A gasp escaped my lips as I started flipping through the pages. There was a long list of daily activity from the past month; each withdrawal followed a deposit of the same amount. All of the entries were between seventy and ninety thousand dollars each.

"I must congratulate you, Miss Swan, for your cleverness. Because each transfer was under $100,000, no red flags were raised by the bank's automated tracking system."

I sat shell-shock, not able to fully process how this happened or what it meant. The idea that everything I said and how I said it would be monitored closely unfortunately wasn't in my conscious awareness.

"Where did the money come from?" I barely recognized my own voice as the question tumbled from my mouth. It was scratchy as if I had been yelling at a Seahawks game all afternoon.

"Shouldn't we be asking you that?" Banner paused, for a dramatic effect I suppose. "But as it turns out, we now know the answer to that question, so no need to play dumb. Although your personal account didn't immediately raise any suspicions, the extensive audit that takes place on the fifteenth of each month did of course uncover the interest payments that were missing from all the gold and platinum level customer accounts. I mean really, Miss Swan, did you think you could get away with stealing 6.2 million dollars and no one would notice?"

"What?" Hearing a number with that many zeros immediately shocked me from the stupor I had slipped into. "I didn't steal anything. I have no idea how that money got into my account, but I certainly didn't put it there. I haven't even thought about that account much less used it since I signed the paperwork." My voice has risen to an impossible high decibel level.

"Well, there you go lying to me again, Miss Swan. But if you want me to walk you through all the evidence we have against you, then I will play along. I will admit that you had our computer experts baffled for awhile. Once the bank notified of us of the theft, we immediately started an investigation, although it was purposefully kept under the radar at first. They did though finally track down the lines of code buried deep in the system that redirected the interest owed to clients. The analysts couldn't figure out at first where the money was going to, but once we started routinely checking everyone who had access to the production systems, it of course didn't take long for all paths to lead to you. The activity in your checking account pretty much sealed your fate of course, but we did investigate further as part of due diligence. As it turns out, only one user ID accessed the section of the code in the last two months where the fraudulent program had been inserted. Any guesses whose ID it was?" The question was obviously rhetorical based on the sarcasm that laced the agent's tone of voice.

I took a deep breath as the seriousness of the situation sank in. This was no misunderstanding. Someone had deliberately set me up to take the fall.

"I am not answering any more questions without a lawyer present."

The rest of that Monday afternoon and evening was a blur. I called Charlie who promised to get there as soon as possible. He knew some of the Seattle agents from working on joint investigations together, so my father hoped to get some additional information to help my case. Emmett had shown up with three lawyers once he was notified I had been detained. They had been at the FBI office since right after I arrived, but I wasn't told until I had the presence of mind to _finally _request legal counsel. Emmett amazingly seemed to have complete faith in me. The first thing he said when I was allowed to see him was "we will track down the shitbag who framed you and make him pay." I didn't know what I had done to deserve such unwavering loyalty, especially considering Emmett had known me such a relatively short time and we weren't especially close, but I have never been more thankful for a friend than at that moment. I wondered though if others in my life would have the same confidence that I was innocent.

The lawyers as it turned out were not that convinced. I can't blame them considering the evidence against me, but it was still hard to hear the skepticism in their voices as we discussed the case. For now, the law firm that Volterra kept on retainer would defend me, but that was subject to change once they thoroughly reviewed the strength of the FBI's case. My employment was "at will" so they could choose to terminate my contract at any time, which meant I would somehow have to come up with the money for my own defense attorney.

I was formally charged at one point, but thankfully I could stay in a holding cell there for the time being. I was scheduled to go before a judge the next afternoon. If bail was set, I would be free until the trial, otherwise I would be transferred later in the week to the Federal Detention Center located in SeaTac.

Visiting hours on Tuesday started at 7:30 AM. Apparently Alice had arrived at 6:30 to make sure she could was 'in line' soon enough.

"I would have come yesterday, but Emmett said it would be better to wait since you were busy meeting with your dad and the lawyers," Alice explained after five minutes of repeatedly hugging me and sobbing uncontrollably about my 'prediction,' which is how she was apparently referring to my arrest. I found it somewhat ironic that I was consoling _her_ sitting there in the visitation room. Strangely, I hadn't cried myself since this whole ordeal had started. I had actually become detached, like I was watching the events unfolded from a far. I even managed to quickly fall asleep in the private cell they assigned me, although I was plagued with disturbing dreams throughout the night.

"Rose and Jasper send their love and support. They would have come as well, but I wasn't sure if you'd want a lot of visitors."

"You know me well. I _am_ hoping to limit the number of people who see me in this lovely grey ensemble."

Alice seemed a little shocked at my attempt to bring some light-hearted banter to the situation, which I guess was a little warped under the circumstances.

"Well I am sure they will plan on seeing you tonight. I thought you might want to stay at my apartment for a little while."

"Assuming I get bail…" I trailed off, no longer having the energy to put up pretenses for my friend.

"Of course the judge will let you go. He's got to see that you aren't guilty."

I took and released a deep breath. "Alice, I don't know what you have already heard about the case, but you should know that there is a lot of convincing evidence that I stole the money." My biggest fear was that even though some may initially defend me on principle, their faith in my innocence would deteriorate rapidly once they knew the details.

"I would have to see you in the bank's vault stuffing rolls of hundred dollar bills down your underwear before I could even _consider_ that you were guilty, and even then, I would give you a chance to explain the scene."

I engulfed my friend in an embrace, which we held for several moments, letting the ties of our friendship strengthen even more.

"So this must be all that anyone is talking about. What's the verdict around the office?"

"Well, to be honest, very few know any details. Most assume you were arrested considering your escort out of the bank yesterday, but don't know the charge. Of course the rumor mills are operating in full swing. You have been linked with everything from running an illegal porn site to threatening the president's life. The vast majority of people though believe in your innocence regardless of the allegation. You have a lot of friends behind you, Bella."

_Yeah, until they got all the 'facts'_ was my internal reply.

"Did anyone else consider visiting me this morning?" I hadn't meant to ask the question; it just slipped out in a moment of weakness.

"Uh…" Alice appeared nervous and suddenly wouldn't make eye contact. She knew exactly who I was referring to.

"You obviously talked to him. What is Edward's take on all this?"

Alice finally looked at my face again; my own heartache was mirrored back to me.

"Do you want the blunt version?" I gave a single nod of my head, not trusting my voice at that moment. "When I called to suggest he join me this morning, Edward balked at the idea saying there was no reason for him as your supervisor to come down unless he needed to be questioned. He went on to say that it wasn't his place to guess at your guilt or innocence, although he hoped it was the latter for everyone's sake. When I tried to pass on the details that Emmett had given me in the hope that Edward might be able to help your case, he accused me of being as bad as the other office gossips. In response, I had a few choice words for our 'friend' and then promptly hung up on him."

I took a moment to digest what she said. His reaction confirmed what I had already figured out. Any feelings Edward may have had for me were now buried deep and not about to make a re-appearance. That is when I felt the first traitorous drop slide down my face.

Alice looked panicked as more tears followed. "I knew I should have lied and said he got hit by a bus."

I couldn't help but laugh through my crying bout, especially because Alice sounded so serious.

"It's fine," I replied even though it wasn't but I needed to pull myself back together. "I wanted honesty and in the long run it is for the best that I heard it. My mind can't be distracted right now by my lovesick heart. Considering I have been arrested for a crime I didn't commit yet the evidence is stacked against me, the fact that some man doesn't return my feelings is the least of my worries."

"Oh, Bella, please don't lose faith. You will get through this and everything will work out like it is supposed to in the end."

I wasn't sure if she was talking about my 'predicament' or Edward or both, but at that moment, I wanted more than anything to believe my friend. Unfortunately, I had a feeling nothing was going to work out for me.

"Your honor, the prosecution requests that bail be denied to the defendant under the circumstances."

"On what grounds? Our client has no criminal record and there is no reason to suspect that she will try to disappear prior to the trial."

"On the contrary, Ms. Swan has no real ties to the Seattle area as she only moved here a few months ago. And more importantly, she potentially has access to millions of dollars since the stolen money was funneled to offshore accounts that the FBI has not been able to trace yet."

"Enough." The federal judge sitting at the front of the courtroom stopped the back-and-forth between my principle lawyer and the prosecutor with a rap of her gravel. "I have already reviewed the merits of this case and agree that there is a risk of flight. As such, Ms. Swan will be required to turn over her passport and bail will be set at five million dollars."

A collective gasp came from those sitting directly behind me, but I tried to remain stoic until dismissed by the judge. Thankfully, the agents who had escorted me to the courthouse allowed me a few moments with my father and friends before we needed to leave.

"It's okay, dad." I had turned to first face the person who would be most upset about the ruling. Even if he and Renee combined all of their resources, there was no way my family could come up with the 10% surety payment needed to secure my release. "I don't mind having to stay at the detention center until my case goes to trial. It is considered low security so it not like I will be locked up with murderers or anything."

So that might not have been the best thing to say based on the looks of horror that crossed everyone's faces.

"Bells, we will come up with the $500,000 somehow. I can use my house as collateral to get a loan." Apparently in his distress Charlie had forgotten how weak the housing economy was at the moment, especially in a small town on the Washington coast.

"We can help as well," Rose assured me as Jasper, Alice, and Emmett nodded their heads in agreement. "Although unfortunately most of my and Emmett's money is tied up in the garage we started as a side business, but we will figure something out."

"That's not necessary. Everyone says I should be able to get a trial date by the beginning of the year at the latest. I can handle anything for a few months." Of course if there wasn't some break in my case, I knew that I would be behind bars for a lot longer than that.

"Bella, I barely convinced your mother yesterday to stay put in Arizona per your request. If she finds out you might not get released today then you know Renee will be on the first plane out of Phoenix."

"Dad, we will work something out, but Agent Banner appears to be getting very impatient, so I am probably going to need to leave now. Why don't you come in the morning during visiting hours and we can weigh the different options." I turned to my friends. "I really appreciate all of you coming this afternoon and for all of your support, but I don't want you complicating your own lives for me."

"Bella, you know we would do anything for you. Please let us help you," Alice pleaded.

"I will. I just don't want you draining your bank accounts to do it. The priority right now is to discover who really took the money and is trying to pin all of this on me. I don't think I can count on the FBI to find the real culprit as they are convinced they already have, but I have a few ideas I want to pursue on my own. Right now though, I just need some time to think through everything that has happened over the last two days and come up with an action plan."

I gave them all quick hugs and finished saying good-bye before following Banner and another agent to the underground parking garage. The drive back didn't take long, and I was quickly transported back to my cell. I laid down on the small bed after my simple dinner and started making a list in my head of potential leads. Now that my brain had time to settle, I was beginning to spot places where the actual criminal may have slipped up. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I didn't hear the guard approaching until she spoke.

"Well, it looks like this is your lucky day. Your bail just got posted, so after completing a few forms, you will be free to go."

"What? How? I mean, who?" My mouth obviously couldn't keep up with the thoughts running through my brain. I didn't know anyone who could come up with half a million dollars in cash that quickly. And even if my friends went against my wishes, it would take longer than two hours to organize and pool their resources.

"Not sure. I was just told to handle the release paperwork and escort you to the front door once we were done."

She was already walking back down the hall, her response trailing behind. I quickly slipped my shoes back on to follow, my body easily going through the motions while my mind was more confused than ever.


	13. Forgive and Forget

**Chapter Thirteen: Forgive and Forget?**

Forty minutes later, I found myself back in my own clothing and exiting through the revolving door at the front of the federal building on Third Avenue. The agent who processed my release offered the use of a phone, but I just couldn't bring myself to call Charlie, who was staying with a friend north of the city, or even Alice. I knew they would be thrilled that I had been bailed out so quickly, but I didn't feel up to facing my cheerleading squad at that moment. I was just so tired, and even though it would probably be a sleepless night for them as they worried about me, I selfishly still needed time to come to terms with my "predicament" on my own.

The evening was starting to darken, the fall night sky slowing turning icy black. Twilight was usually my favorite time of day, but now it just seemed sad. Shadows were casted over the two levels of stone stairs that led from the building's entrance to the street level and very few people moved along the sidewalks. All the stores and coffeehouses were shut tight for the night in stark contrast to the vibrancy the daytime hours offered.

I was debating whether to call a cab or just take the bus home when movement caught my eye. A shadow separated from a car parked along the street. As I descended the stairs and my eyes adjusted to the night, I saw him pause as he started towards me, opting instead to shove both hands in his jacket pockets as he waited.

I looked beyond his form to the silver Volvo C30 he had been leaning against a moment earlier. I had never seen the car until now, but had been subjected to hearing all about "his baby" for the last few months.

The distance between us when I finally stopped was wider than what social norms dictated, but that was as close as I was willing to commit to for now. Although still confused in many ways, some things had clicked into place.

"I don't need your pity or charity." My arms had involuntarily crossed in front of my chest, hugging my body against the night's chill. Or maybe I was just trying to hold myself together as bits and pieces threaten to break away.

"I didn't bail you out because I felt sorry for you." His voice sounded as strained as mine.

"Then why?"

He shrugged. "I just… needed to."

"Where did the money come from?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes…no…maybe…" Why was I finding it so hard to talk to this man I had already shared so much with?

"A trust fund my Grandmother Masen set up before she died." This was news to me, although I should have guessed that Edward came from money. His level of confidence and poise wasn't usually found in those who grew up in families living from paycheck to paycheck.

The silence stretched between us after his last comment. I didn't know what he was doing there, but I didn't really want to ask. I had meant what I told Alice. Dealing with his drama was too exhausting now that I was fighting my own demons.

"Can I give you a ride?"

I glanced at his car before looking back at Edward, my resolve already crumbling a little. A slight nod from me and he was opening my door before running around the car and sliding into his own seat. He started the engine but made no move to pull out of the parking slot instead staring out the front window. He started speaking without turning his head.

"The things I said to Alice on the phone last night… and what I implied… As soon as I hung up I realized that it was all so unforgivable." Another pause, this one longer. "And also a lie."

My gaze drifted back to the federal building visible through my side window as he spoke. Apparently I was just as much of a coward as him.

"I can't do this now, Edward. Please just take me home."

Sleep did not come as easily to me that night. I twisted in my sheets haunted by my bank account with too many zeros and green eyes. At 3:00 AM, I gave up and moved to the couch with my favorite Jane Austin book, hoping the familiar characters could provide some comfort. I did grab my phone first and texted a short message to Charlie and my friends to let them know I was home and would call in the morning, praying that their own devices were turned off for the time being as I didn't want to disturb them, just ease their concerns when they did wake up.

I must have eventually fallen asleep curled around the novel as I awoke to a single knock, my name being called, and the click of the lock turning free. Before I could open my eyes, Alice was already kneeled in front of me, having made use of the key I gave her for emergencies. Obviously I needed to clarify what constituted a crisis.

"Bella, how did you get here?"

"In a car." Alice scowled at my flippant answer while Jasper chuckled. He was leaned against the doorway, waiting for an invitation to enter unlike his girlfriend. Always the gentleman.

"You two might as well come in and get comfortable since I don't plan moving from this spot for a couple of more hours."

"Fine," Alice huffed, "You can stay there, but you will talk."

"I was bailed out last night."

"Obviously, unless you managed to beam out of your cell, but the question is who?" Her impatience was rapidly escalating, which I resented as I really didn't want to talk about it.

"Edward," Jasper answered for me. Alice and I both jerked our heads to stare at him. "Am I right?"

"Yes, but how…"

"It just makes sense. Besides, it's about time he put that trust fund money to use considering he hasn't touched it since she died three years ago." Jasper paused, a slight smile forming. "Grandma Masen would have liked you, Bella. She always said Edward needed to find someone with gumption."

I chose to ignore that last comment. Unfortunately Alice finally found her voice.

"None of this is making any sense. I thought Edward was choosing to stay out of it. What made him change his mind?"

I shrugged as I didn't know the answer myself. The ride home last night was silent. Edward tried to talk to me again when the Volvo pulled up in front of my building, but I was too tired mentally and physically, so I just finally thanked him for his help and escaped to my apartment.

Jasper sensing my unease thankfully redirected the conversation, although Alice casted both of us a look that clearly said the subject of Edward Cullen was far from closed.

"So, Bella, what now? You mentioned possible leads…" he trailed off waiting for me to pick up on this much more important topic.

"Well, I think we have to work under the assumption that someone gained access to my user id and password and changed the system while logged on as me. I am honestly not sure how that would have happened since I'm always very careful about protecting the information, never logging on while anyone else is in my cubicle. For now though, I think we will have to table that mystery." I did think back to that very first day when James was present, but my eyes were on him the whole time. His back was turned so there was no way he could have seen the key strokes I used.

"So where _do_ we start?" Alice asked eager to help.

"Well, as the FBI already knows, the production systems are segmented and each has a log that shows who accessed that section and when. I am assuming the fraudulent program was added to a section that I don't normally work on, otherwise there would have been a chance I might have stumbled across it by accident. He or she or they wouldn't have wanted to risk that possibility."

"You are losing me," Alice complained. "How does that help us discover who set you up?"

"It doesn't necessarily," I agreed, "but it might help us narrow down the suspects or even exonerate me depending on when that section of the code was accessed. The changes would have been made while I was away from my cubicle, which I assume happened after I left the office at night since too many eyes would have seen the person if he or she tried to use my computer during the day while I was out to lunch or in a meeting. I am hoping we can get a copy of that log to see when the section was accessed and then get a list from security of who was in the building at that time."

Since our id badges were scanned by security whenever we entered and left the building, there would be a record of who was present when the program was accessed. I was just hoping that my after-hours hunch was right as that would significantly narrow down the list of who might have done this to me.

"I can help you there," Jasper offered. "I have contacts with both IT and within the security staff. Although the bank is on 'red alert' for lack of a better term since the theft came to light, they surely can't begrudge providing information to potentially help your case. If needed, we could always get your lawyers to request the computer log and security lists through official channels."

"Thanks, Jasper. I must admit I was hoping you could get the information. I would rather avoid dealing with my legal team as much as possible considering they seem convinced I'm guilty."

"No problem at all, darlin'. What's the point of being a vice president at the bank if I can't call in a favor every now and then?" He continued after giving me a quick hug, folding his long body over mine since I was still curled up at the end of the couch. "I know Emmett is planning on coming over after work tonight to touch base with you so I will send along any information I have with him, if that's okay."

"Do you mean the rest of the Volterra team is actually still allowed on the bank's premises?" I asked with no small amount of surprise. "I assumed their contract would be in jeopardy considering my arrest."

"From my understanding, there were definitely members of the Board of Directors who wanted to activate some kind of morality clause in the contract to get rid of Volterra, but at the end of the day, more rational minds prevailed. Although the potential theft of over six million dollars by a consultant is hard to shallow, the bank would lose a lot more if they pulled the plug on Volterra's efforts at this stage of the technology transformation project. Besides, they have been lucky that the press coverage of the theft has been relatively light, so they won't have to deal with too much backlash from stockholders around the fact that Volterra is still on board. I guess all of Meyer's campaign contributions to the District Attorney are finally paying off. He has resisted the urge to grand stand to the media about the case."

I was immensely glad to hear from Jasper that the rest of my extended team was still going about their daily jobs. I would hate to know even more people were adversely affected by this whole mess, especially Emmett as the partner in charge of the project.

Alice and Jasper left soon afterwards so I could try and get a little more sleep. I wasn't alone for long though as Charlie came over two hours later with lunch. He had to peel me off the couch and then practically throw me in the shower. I seemed to be at the depression stage in terms of dealing with the allegations and my arrest, but trying hard to maintain a level of hope. A couple of hours later I even managed to put a convincing-enough smile on my face to persuade Charlie to return to Forks for the time being. The only concrete help my dad could provide was staying in touch with his FBI contact, but that could be accomplished just as easily from the Olympic Peninsula. I didn't want him putting his own life on hold for me. My mom was also placated enough now that I was out on bail, so I thankfully didn't have to deal with an extended visit from her either. I knew they both meant well, but constant parental hovering won't do my nerves any good right now.

So I found myself pacing and thinking, and thinking and pacing around the apartment all afternoon. There wasn't much for me to do until I heard back from Jasper since Alice had delivered the news that morning that I was on administrative level from Volterra without pay until further notice. Of course even if Volterra still considered me an active employee, it's not like I was going to waltz back to the bank, finish debugging the program I had been working on Monday, and pretend like nothing had happened. Besides, I probably didn't have enough security clearance anymore to be within 10 feet of the Meyer building. I _was_ a little bitter about Volterra's decision, but at least I still had the use of the company's law firm, even if my lawyers did think I stole the money.

A knock interrupted my scrubbing of the kitchen floor, a task I had undertaken merely as a distraction. I peeled off rubber gloves before opening the door to who I assumed was Emmett, but turned out to be Edward.

He looked up at me sheepishly, hands filled with papers and bags. "I know you weren't expecting me, but Emmett got pulled into an emergency meeting so I offered to bring over the information Jasper gathered." I didn't need to ask the nature of the meeting. I could only assume my friend had been doing a lot of damage control since my arrest, which made me appreciate even more the time that Emmett had spent with me at the FBI office and courthouse over the last few days.

"Of course. Come in." Edward walked in slowly, eyes scanning my small apartment. He seemed to be trying to memorize all the little details of my life.

"So this is your place…" He trailed off, the awkwardness of the situation rushing at both of us. So many times I had imagined Edward in my apartment, but never like this.

Suddenly though my senses took over and a smile found its way to my face. "What's in the bags, Edward?" I asked in eager anticipation.

"A peace offering?"

I grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and dragged him over to the couch since notepads and my laptop cluttered the kitchen table. In a flash the salami sandwich found my teeth cutting through it. Edward chuckled as he unwrapped his own meal and began eating. For a moment, the ease was back and I could pretend this man hadn't hurt me.

We ate in silence with barely a glance at the other. Music still pumped through the speakers of my iPod dock, left over from my cleaning spree. As I finished the last bite, my appearance suddenly dawned on me. Old sweats cut off into shorts, my favorite concert t-shirt, hair escaping from a loose ponytail, feet bare. I self-consciously tucked my legs underneath my body before turning to my dinner companion.

"So what did Jasper find out?"

"Bella," Edward started, "about the way I have acted since your birthday—"

"Did you have a chance to look over the computer logs and security lists?" I interrupted.

"I need to explain myself—"

I stopped him again. "I am really hoping there is some information in those papers that can help my case."

"Can we please talk about this?" He sounded exasperated. "I know I have been a complete ass. There is so much to apologize for that I don't know where to start."

"Then don't. Either you can help me look through the files or you can leave." Edward raised his hand as if to stop me so I pushed on. "Look, I get it. You have a guilty conscience. But for once in my life, I get to be completely selfish. What _I_ need right now is to concentrate on how to get out of this mess, not spend time making you feel better."

"But, Bella, you need to understand that it is so much more than a 'guilty conscience' as you put it." Edward had unexpectedly grabbed both of my hands, his piercing eyes locking into mine with absolute resolve.

Despite the fact that every part of my being longed to drown in those eyes and give him the chance to potentially declare feelings I had been desperate to hear only days ago, I couldn't. Now was not the time to indulge in lovesick fantasies, especially ones that featured a knight in shining armor complete with bronze hair coming to my rescue. So instead, I pulled my hands from Edward's grasp and stood to escort him to the door.

"No." I was surprised at the force in his tone once Edward got over the initial shock of my withdrawal. "I don't want to leave you. I will help you look through the information if that is what you want. Just let me stay. Please."

"Okay." I sat back down reluctantly on the couch, afraid his presence would be an unwelcome distraction, not wanting to admit I was glad he was staying.

"It's got to be him!" Edward declared later that night.

The two of us had spent the last hour going through the information Jasper had collected from his contacts – neither he nor Edward had reviewed the records on their own – and discussing the implications. The first twenty minutes was spent looking through the computer logs, which confirmed one of my hunches was right, while the other was off. The code that redirected interest payments had been buried in an obscure part of the bank's computer system, one I wasn't even familiar with. That module had only been accessed by one user id, my user id, during the last few months, which I already knew from the FBI's investigation. What I didn't know before was that I had supposedly accessed that section three different times, for durations of 12, 23, and 4 minutes respectively.

"I bet whoever did it used the first time to become familiar with the code, the second to insert the necessary changes, and the final session to trigger the program," Edward had theorized when we first saw the pattern.

But the curious part was that although the system had been accessed after normal business hours, each entry was during a time I would have still been at work.

Monday, August 10, 6:42 PM

Wednesday, August 12, 7:38 PM

Monday, August 17 6:13 PM

"They somehow knew I would be in your office during those times. Whoever did this watched me enough to know my patterns." Edward and I would have been having regular dinners together for a couple of weeks prior to that first entry.

"But don't you see, Bella, this proves your innocence," Edward exclaimed with the first genuine smile I had seen on his face all night. "You couldn't have made the changes yourself since you were with me when that section of the code was accessed."

"Unfortunately I don't think your alibi would stand up in court. Yes, we had dinner together every Monday and Wednesday and would be in your office for 30-45 minutes each time, but we weren't consistent enough regarding when we started our meal. Can you honestly testify that you are certain we ate together at 6:30 versus 7:30 on a particular night over a month ago?"

"Damn, you're right." His smile fell swiftly at the revelation. "Well let's cross-reference the security logs then to see who was in the building during all three of those times, besides us of course. Maybe that will give us a better lead."

It took awhile to review the security lists. There were a lot of people who were in the building two of the three nights, but it turned out only seven others were present all three time - a marketing analyst, two people who worked in accounting, a manager from the human resources department, one of the network administrators, the bank's CEO, and another Volterra employee.

"Fucking James," Edward practically sneered when he saw that the consulting manager's name appeared on all three lists.

"Don't let your own issues with him cause you to jump to conclusions," I reasoned, although small warning bells were also going off in the back of my head.

"But it makes perfect sense! James was a computer science major. He would have the technical knowledge needed to change the code. He also was very familiar with the bank's auditing systems since his team was in charge of reviewing them with Meyer's executives when Volterra first started working there. It couldn't have been a coincidence that the fraudulent program was activated on August 17th. That date maximized the time the program could run before it was discovered during the next extensive audit that takes place on the 15th of every month, which is based on a schedule that definitely isn't common knowledge. I bet even you didn't know about all the checks and balances in place to protect the bank's assets."

"You are right there. Agent Banner was congratulating me on my cleverness in executing the theft, but I didn't know what he was really talking about at the time."

"So it has to be James," Edward insisted with a smugness that bothered me.

"I agree that he is a likely suspect. He even admitted that he knew about our dinners, but there are others on the list who might have the knowledge and means to set me up. We should consider them as well."

"Bella, don't be so naïve. James had probably been planning this for awhile and you proved to be an easy target. Your relationship with me would have only made the situation that much sweeter for him."

For some reason Edward's last statement set me on edge again. "You make it sound like I asked for this to happen to me. Besides, we don't have a _relationship_ beyond co-workers, right?" The venom in my voice disgusted even me, but I didn't back down.

"Bella, that's not what I meant and you know it." Edward raised his hands up and spoke with caution as if he were approaching a wild animal. "And as far as our relationship goes, I have been _trying_ to explain that but you won't let me."

"Because you will probably flip-flop again later about the terms of how I am allowed to relate to you," I practically shouted as the hurt and heartache I had tried hard to suppress for so long bubbled to the surface. "Friends. Not friends. Only co-workers. Something more. You know, never once in all the time we have known each other have you ever asked _me _what _I_ wanted from our 'relationship.' Or doesn't my opinion even matter?"

"Of course it does," Edward fired back. "I just… haven't always been thinking clearly when it comes to you." He stood and started pacing before continuing with a heavy sigh, hands out in a gesture of surrender. "Look, I don't expect you to understand my behavior, and you may never forgive me, but please know I _did_ have my reasons. There are things about my past you don't know about. Believe me when I say that my main focus throughout all of this mess was to protect _both_ of us."

"Well, as it turns out I do have some knowledge of what happened between you and Victoria." Edward cringed as her name left my lips, but I pressed on. "And I don't doubt the experience was painful and humiliating and a lot of other terrible adjectives, especially with your job and reputation on the line. But that doesn't give you the right to expect the worst from everyone else in your life. I am NOT Victoria, and I am fucking tired of being compared to her." I was now standing as well, the hurt morphing into rage over how Edward had treated me. "You may try to justify your behavior with the rationale that it was 'for the best,' but at the end of the day, you were really just a coward."

"And here's another newsflash for you, Edward. I don't need or want your _protection_," I spat before the rational part of my brain caught up with my whirlwind emotions. I suddenly realized how badly the conversation had deteriorated. Edward in the meantime stood shell-shocked, looking at me like I had just slapped him.

I took several deep breaths and willed myself to calm down before either of us said something we would regret, although in all honesty, that had probably already happened on my end. I just couldn't bring myself to apologize yet.

In the meantime, Edward still hadn't moved or acknowledged the hurtful things I threw in his face.

More deep breaths as I rubbed my eyes. Fatigue had settled over my body like a heavy blanket and I wasn't sure how much longer I could participate in this particular conversation.

"We obviously have some issues that need to be addressed," I offered, "but everything is just too emotionally charged right now."

No response from Edward, so I continued.

"I do really appreciate your help tonight, and I have to believe that something will come out of this to help my case. We unfortunately don't have any real proof that James is behind this, but I will contact the FBI and my lawyers tomorrow with our theories. Hopefully they will agree to investigate him as well as the other six and potentially discover a new lead to follow."

"Okay, I guess I will just go then." Edward had finally found his voice. "Will you call me if there is a break in the case?"

"Of course," I replied while opening the front door. Edward started to leave, but then turned and pulled me into a tight embrace, resting his cheek on the top of my head. Despite my mixed feelings about him at that moment, I relaxed slightly into the comfort of his strong arms, breathing in his unique spicy scent.

Before he released me and hurried down the hall towards the elevator, I felt the brush of lips against my hair and barely caught the words "I will somehow fix this" whispered so quietly that I don't think they were meant for my ears.


	14. A New Suspect & A New Lead

**Chapter Fourteen: A New Suspect & A New Lead **

Somehow I had found myself back in the interrogation room at the FBI field office. This was an unexpected twist that I really didn't appreciate.

I had contacted Volterra's law firm yesterday morning with my new theories. I also called Charlie so he could pass along the same information to his FBI contact. After Edward left Wednesday night, I spent some time writing down everything I knew about the seven potential suspects, which sadly wasn't much. In all honesty, the exercise was mostly to keep my mind off how that last conversation with Edward had deteriorated so badly, but I was also hoping some good might come out of my written ramblings.

In addition to James, there were three other people from the list who might have the knowledge and means to execute the crime and set me up, although I am the first to admit I was grasping at straws.

The network administer would obviously have the technical background needed to change the code and possibly even the ability to set and reset my password in order to gain access to the backend production systems. I didn't know him personally, but Edward mentioned when we were putting the list together that the guy was a little sleazy. But did sleazy equal criminal tendencies? Probably not.

One of the accountants worked on my floor and was part of the internal auditing team, so he would have easy access to my cubicle and routines as well as know about the system checks in place. Being part of the accounting department, I had to assume he also knew the details of how interest payments were calculated and distributed. But beyond that, I had no real reason to suspect him.

The marketing analyst worked for Jasper, so I had met her on several occasions when visiting my friend in his office. Jazz had told me in confidence that she was suspected of using marketing funds to sponsor a friend's band and was most likely going to be fired in the near future as soon as they had enough evidence of unethical behavior. I also remember seeing her on my floor a lot during August, even though there didn't appear to be any reason for her to be up there. But as far as I knew though, she didn't have the technical background necessary to execute the crime.

Despite how weak my theories were, I had emailed all my notes to the legal team and Charlie. Unfortunately I didn't hear back from anyone for the rest of the day on Thursday, but I did manage to organize my closet by color and season, rearrange all of the kitchen cabinets, and type up alphabetical lists of all my books, CDs, and movies. At this rate, I didn't have to worry about going to jail because I would die of boredom first.

As a distraction, Alice took me out to dinner that night and even managed to resist bringing up the subject of Edward, though it was obviously the "pink elephant" in the room. She also refused to let me discuss the case saying that I needed a mental break and a chance to relax. I may have taken her advice too literally though because four glasses of wine later, I had to be practically carried back to my apartment, ever the light-weight.

My post binge sleep was interrupted Friday morning with the shrill ring of my landline. My head pounded as I fumbled for the phone.

"Ms. Swan? This is Agent Banner. Do you have time to come to the office this morning? There has been a new development in your case that we would like to discuss."

"Of course," I replied with a voice rough like sandpaper due to my hangover but also laced with excitement. "Is this related to the list of people who were also in the office when the system was accessed?"

"We will discuss everything when you get here. See you in 30 minutes." Apparently that was the end of the conversation as the federal agent had already

hung up.

I hurriedly showered and dressed before calling a cab, not wanting to wait for a bus. I had expected to be shown to Banner's office when I checked in at the front desk, but was instead escorted to this white-walled room once again. And told to wait. This strategy was getting old, but it did make me wonder if I should have called my lawyers before coming down.

"Ms. Swan," the agent addressed me upon entering the room and taking a seat, "thank you for coming in so quickly. We are anxious to get your thoughts on our new theory."

"So you have a different suspect in mind now?" I asked mentally crossing my fingers.

"Yes, although _another_ suspect would be more accurate."

"Excuse me?"

"We followed up on the list of names you gave us, as well as double-checked the information against our own copies of the computer logs and security lists that the bank sent over yesterday. Despite the belief by many that you were sending us on a wild goose chase, we took the time to interview the eight individuals who could have been involved with the crime."

_Eight? There were only seven on the list._

"The most interesting conversation was with a Mr. Tracker. He seemed convinced of your innocence and insisted that if you were involved, you were only following someone else's direction."

_James was defending me? But why would he do that if he had set me up? _Confusion swirled around my mind as Agent Banner continued talking.

"Ms. Swan, why didn't you include Edward Cullen on the list of individuals that were in the building when the system was accessed?"

His question caught me completely off guard as I was still scrambling to wrap my brain around what he said about James. My floundering as I attempted to answer couldn't of looked good, especially considering how Agent Banner glanced at the mirrored wall with a slight smug smile.

"Umm… well, there didn't seem to be any reason… I mean of course Edward didn't do it since he was with me."

"Yes, we are starting to think Mr. Cullen was with you when the code was changed," the agent stated in a tone that completely unnerved me.

"You aren't implying that Edward was involved in the theft, are you?" My voice rang out in the small space full of alarm.

"Well, we do find it interesting that your 'boss' was the one to bail you out. Seems like there must be more to your relationship than that of co-workers…" Banner trailed off suggestively.

"We're friends." _Or more maybe, but that was a subject from another time and place. _"Edward was just helping me out.

"And then there is the matter of the assault on Mr. Tracker."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, although those damn alarm bells were going off in my head again. Why couldn't they ever warn me _before_ I found myself in impossible situations?

"Well apparently Mr. Cullen paid a visit to him late Wednesday night. Although Mr. Tracker refuses to press charges, he did admit to us that your _boss_ slammed him up against the wall outside of his apartment building and threaten his life if he didn't take the blame for the crime. Seems like Cullen is working very hard to pin this on someone else."

"Edward didn't have anything to do with stealing the money. You have to believe that," I pleaded desperately.

"So you are ready to admit full responsibility then?"

I had to pause. This was my burden to bear, not his. If it came down to it, I would do what it took to protect Edward. I may not be happy with him right now, but I still loved him with every part of my soul and wouldn't let him be destroyed. But I also wasn't ready to admit defeat yet either. In my drunken state last night, another idea had popped in my head regarding a possible lead, freed apparently when I released the tight rein on my mind. I was planning on discussing this new theory with Agent Banner, but not now when he seemed determined to twist everything into more evidence against me, and now against Edward.

"Have you arrested Edward?" I asked ignoring his question.

"Not yet. We questioned him last night, but need to build the case against him more before pressing charges. It is only a matter of time though. Unless that is you want to help us wrap up things right now. Perhaps Tracker was right and Cullen is the mastermind. If you were willing to testify against him we can work with the district attorney to offer you a plea bargain."

So that was their plan. To try and turn us against each other. I needed to get out of there and see Edward before either of us unintentionally did more damage. I still couldn't believe he had threatened James, although I guess I shouldn't have been that surprised considering how convinced Edward was that our co-worker was the culprit.

"Agent Banner, I suggest that the FBI stop focusing on innocent people and instead try to find who really did this."

He merely huffed at my recommendation.

"Now if there's not anything else, I assume I am free to go."

"Of course, Ms. Swan. But I am sure we will see each other again very soon. In the meantime, we will keep a cell warm for you."

I rushed out of the federal building feeling stupid and naïve. Yes, I had recently yelled at Edward for using that very adjective to describe me, but now I had to admit that it fit. I was working hard to keep tears of anger and frustration in check as I ran down the stone steps.

"Bella, wait up!"

I spun around in a panic upon hearing that voice, twisting my ankle in the process. I cringed for multiple reasons as James hurried to the spot where I had crumbled.

"Are you okay?" he asked while reaching out to examine my injury.

"I'm fine," I squeaked withdrawing my leg from his hand, which unfortunately only made the throbbing worse. "What are you doing here?"

"They asked me to come back this morning to sign a written statement based on yesterday's interview."

"Was that the interview where you accused Edward of being involved with the theft?" I spat angrily.

"Last time I checked he was also trying to blame the crime on me," James replied with an icy tone before his eyes soften. "Look, Bella, I am just trying to protect you in any way possible. I refuse to believe you are capable of stealing money from the bank."

"Why is everyone always trying to protect me…" I muttered mostly to myself, too confused and in pain to say much else.

"I know it sounds old-fashioned, but I feel the need to look after the women in my life. When I was young, I had to watch my dad abuse my mom physically and mentally. I was counting the days until I would be big enough to fight him myself…" James trailed over seemingly both surprised and embarrassed he had revealed so much. "Anyway, I wasn't able to protect her, which is why I want to help you if I can. Defending you is as natural to me as breathing."

"Like you felt the need to side with Victoria when she claimed sexual harassment against Edward." It was a statement, not a question, although I don't know why that thought popped in my head then.

"Well…yes. Vicky might not be the most upstanding person herself, but she was really upset when he broke things off. I think she originally pictured a white dress and baby stroller with the guy. So if she says Cullen mistreated her professionally after they split, then I have to believe her. And she's just a friend, always has been, always will be. Not like you." He paused but I didn't speak, not knowing what to say to those revelations.

"Look, I know I can come off strong, and even arrogant if I am being honest, but I have always been interested in getting to know you better. Just ask Victoria. I have been talking about you since we first met at that cocktail party months ago, lamenting the fact that you and Cullen seem to have something going on. Of course, she wasn't too happy about that part, not that she can't really complain since she's been dating another guy for awhile now. Although I don't see how those two fit together as she never seemed like the nerdy number-crunching type, but of course the dude is completely wrapped around her finger." James seemed to be speaking the last part to himself as he looked off into the distance before returning his attention to me.

"Anyway, I know that whether you and I could ever have a relationship is a moot point right now considering what's going on in your life, but please know that I am here for you if you need me. Whether it's to help prove your innocence or get you out of a situation you may have unwillingly found yourself in."

Although I still didn't trust James, it was hard to ignore the sincerity in his voice. He believed in me and if that faith turned out to be misplaced and I _was_ guilty, he would still try to help get me out the mess.

"Thanks, James. And just so you know, I am innocent. And so is Edward."

"I guess we will just agree to disagree about Cullen. Now, can I help you get somewhere? That looks like a nasty sprain."

"No, I'm fine. I think I just want to sit here in the sun for awhile. There are a few things I need to sort through, but I do appreciate your offer."

James reluctantly left me sitting to the side of the stone staircase. I am not sure how long I stayed there, but I kept coming back to the same conclusion. I needed to talk to Edward. I tried to convince myself the need was purely logical so the two of us could sort out his sudden and unfortunate involvement in the case, but in reality, I just needed his comforting presence.

I tried to reach Edward on his cell, but the call went to voicemail so he must have been in a meeting. I left a short and probably cryptic message asking him to meet me at my apartment once he got off from work. Then I proceeded to drag my wounded ankle to the curb to hail a ride home.

"Bella, Bella, wake up."

"Hmm…"

"Here, let's get your ankle propped up."

I was having trouble pulling myself out of a deep slumber, but I felt a thrill run up my leg as a soft caress gently lifted my calf until…

"Shit!"

I shot up from my position on the couch. The book I had been reading clanged to the floor as I instinctively pulled my swollen ankle from Edward's light grasp.

"What the hell are you doing?" I yelped at him.

"You didn't answer when I knocked so I started to get worried, especially when I realized the door was unlocked. Then when I saw you were hurt… well, I obviously shouldn't have tried to play doctor until you were fully awake. Sorry about that."

Without my permission, thoughts of Edward examining me wearing only a stethoscope popped in my head. I immediately started blushing, which caused him to give me a curious smile. As his words sunk in, the smile turned into a shit-eating grin.

"And just what are you thinking about, Miss Swan?" he asked, eyes glowing with amusement.

"I'm just embarrassed that you found me asleep like this," I replied in an attempt to maintain some dignity. At the sight of his face falling, however, I almost relented and admitted the control he unwittingly had over my mind and body just to get back the lightness from a moment ago. Of course if I did that, then a different kind of tension would be in the air and we really _did_ need to focus.

"So what happened to your ankle?" he asked sitting beside me while gently lifting the aforementioned limb into his lap. My mind temporarily lost focused as his fingers carefully probed my skin. Despite the pain, the spark I had felt in the past whenever we touched was still definitely there. Was he purposely trying to get another reaction out of me or simply concerned?

I shook my head in an attempt to clear my mind.

"Nothing unusual. Stairs and I just don't get along too well." I glanced at the clock while answering, surprised to see it was only a little after 2:00. "Shouldn't you still be at work?"

Edward seemed a little caught off guard by my rapid change in subject, but quickly recovered. "I took off early, as soon as I heard your message. I would have been here sooner, but I was trapped in the lunch meeting from hell."

"You could have waited and come by later."

He only shrugged. "I figured it was important or you wouldn't have called."

I wasn't sure if that was meant as a rebuff considering how I ended our last conversation, but decided to let the comment go for now.

"Well, I figured we needed to talk. Agent Banner called me down to FBI headquarters this morning. I am so sorry you have gotten pulled into this mess, Edward."

I obviously didn't need to explain farther as he was well aware of his current status as a potential accomplice in the theft. He started to respond but I quickly cut him off.

"I am determined to clear both of our names, but I want you to know that if things get too hopeless, I have no intention of letting you go to jail."

"If you are saying what I think you are then you need to get those thoughts out of your mind right now," Edward interjected with a fierce determination. "_Neither_ of us is going to jail." He had unconsciously grabbed my ankle tightly during the rant and I had to bear down on my teeth to keep from screaming out. Edward quickly realized his mistake and started rubbing soothing circle on my skin instead.

"Trust me. I don't want to go to jail either. I'm just saying that we need to make sure that your name gets cleared, which would probably be easier if you didn't go around harassing other potential suspects."

Edward had the decency to look sheepish at being caught. We discussed his failed attempt at getting a confession out of James as well as both of our recent "interviews" with Agent Banner before I moved on to my newest theory.

"I am kicking myself for not remembering this earlier, but I feel it can't be a coincidence that my address was wrong on the bank statements. I called the Meyer customer care phone number when I first got home today to try to get some information, but apparently my account has been flagged. The poor call center rep practically had a heart attack once she pulled up my account and realized who she was talking to."

I tried not to be annoyed as Edward's laugher filled the room and chose to join him instead. "Okay, so it _was_ pretty stupid of me to think I could just call up like any other customer."

"So what's Plan B?" Edward asked after getting his chuckles out.

"Plan B is once again Jasper, who was thankfully willing to help when I thought to contact him after the call center fiasco. He said he would look into it and email me once he knew anything."

As fate would have it, my Blackberry chimed at that exact moment signaling I had a new message.

_Your customer contact information was never changed. The account was originally set up with the same address currently on file: P.O. Box 528, Seattle, WA 98103._

"Okay…" I could practically see the wheels turning in Edward's head. "That means either there was a mix-up when your account was first set up and the incorrect address was an honest mistake or someone changed your paperwork before it was submitted."

"Under the circumstances, I am betting on the latter."

"So when exactly did you complete the checking account application?" Edward asked, obviously feeling as desperate for a breakthrough as I was.

"Well, I filled out a ton of forms including that one on my very first morning at the bank…" I was trying hard to pull the memories from my head. "We had picked up all the paperwork when James and I stopped by HR…" Edward of course scowled when I mentioned that name, but kept his thoughts to himself for now. "I completed everything once we got back to my cube… but now that I think about it, I don't remember turning the forms into anyone."

"That's because I did."

I looked at him in confusion, so Edward continued.

"I have a distinct memory of stopping by that morning because I was disappointed you weren't there. In addition to wanting to see you, I had the program specs for your first assignment as well as another confidential form you needed to complete. I saw the other forms sitting there. Although I didn't look through the papers too closely, everything seemed to be completely filled out when I flipped through the stack so I took them down to HR. I couldn't tell you though whether the account application was in there or not. Do you remember where you were at the time and how long you were gone?"

"Lauren came by saying we had to get photos taken for the Meyer security badges. It took forever for some reason so I was probably gone close to thirty minutes. I suppose someone could have changed the form between when I left and when you stopped by."

Edward gave me a pointed look so I knew what was coming. "I can't help but point out that it would have been easy for James to make the changes since he was already in your cubicle when you left."

"And I can't help but remind you that _anyone_ on the floor could have seen me walk away and probably knew where we were going thanks to Lauren's obnoxiously loud voice. It would have only taken a minute for somebody to find the right form and change the address."

"Why do you continue to defend him, Bella, when all signs point to James?" Edward asked, the anger barely kept in check.

"I guess I want to give him the benefit of the doubt because if we are considering all the known evidence and basing an assumption on that, then there would be a flashing neon sign over _my_ head," I replied in a calm voice wanting to avoid another escalation. I hadn't told Edward about my conversation with James as it seemed too private, but maybe that information would change his opinion.

"Edward, you should probably know—"

"Okay, let's drop that subject for now—"

We had both started at the same time and then stopped, so I gestured at him to continue first.

"I was just going to say that it doesn't do us any good to discuss the potential guilt or innocence of Tracker since, as you alluded to, what we really need to find is hard evidence that _someone_ else did this."

"So do you have a suggestion for a next step?"

Edward glanced at his watch before breaking into a smile. "Yep and we should have plenty of time to make it there before they close."

"Before who closes?"

"Bella, grab your purse. We're taking a field trip to the Wallingford Post Office."


	15. The Girl with the Vine Tattoo

**Chapter Fifteen: The Girl with the Vine Tattoo**

"Why Wallingford?"

"Because that's the Seattle neighborhood with the zip code 98103. You mentioned earlier that the bank shredded your original application after the account was set up, but if we are lucky, the government isn't as diligent about cleaning out old paper records. I am assuming that whoever opened that post office box would have needed to complete some kind of form. If so and they still have a copy, then we can try to convince the FBI to do a handwriting analysis."

"You're brilliant, Mr. Cullen," I declared with my own wide smile as I stood up from the couch to join him.

"All in a day's work" was his reply as he headed for the door. I went to follow him when my ankle decided to remind me of its current state. I let out a string of choice words as I stumbled forward in an attempt to keep my face from meeting the floor.

Edward's laughter was contagious as he dramatically swept me off my feet. "Looks like we are going to have to do this the hard way," he teased.

I squirmed in his arms while kicking my feet, laughing the whole time. "Put me down you big oaf!"

Edward shifted my body to get a better grip and in an instant the playful mood vanished. I suddenly became very aware of how my left breast pushed against his toned chest and how his warm breath blew across my neck. I raised my eyes to look at his and my heart almost stopped when I took in the lust and longing that was clearly visible there. I pulled my lower lip between my teeth to keep from attacking his mouth. In response, he let out a soft moan and lowered his eye lids.

"Bella, I am trying real hard to be good here. To not push you right now as I know I have a lot of making up to do for there to be any possibility for you to trust me, but…"

He opened his eyes again and I could feel myself falling into the emerald depths. I probably stopped breathing several moments before, but my body didn't seem to mind. It was too wrapped up in the sensation of having so many parts in contact with Edward. His eyes hadn't lost any of the longing, but were now tinted with regret and sadness as he continued.

"Just so we are clear - _I know_ that I messed up, over and over again. I was attracted to you from the first glimpse, when I saw you leaving the conference room on your first day, but after everything that happened with Victoria, I promised myself I would never get involved with co-worker again. I was determined to keep you at arm's length, but that was too damn hard, so later I thought we could at least be friends. Until your birthday party… I was so fucking jealous that night and hated myself for feeling that way. I suspected you might be attracted to me as well and worried that I was keeping you from the happiness you deserved. If I wasn't prepared to take a leap of faith with you, then I needed to step aside so someone else could have the chance to give you their whole heart. I foolishly thought it would be better for both of us for me to put the walls back up."

Edward took a deep breath before finishing his speech.

"You were right though. Despite my attempts to approach the situation logically, at the end of the day, I was just a coward, too afraid of getting hurt again. But I refuse to deny my feelings any longer. When you are ready, I am yours and I will wait for as long as it takes."

"Edward," I whispered.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

The surprise on his face was quickly replaced with a smile before he lowered his mouth to mine. Months of hoping and wanting and imagining did not prepare me for the burst of energy that raced through my body as his lips softly caressed my own. He slowly pulled back from the gentle kiss after just a few seconds, but upon seeing no hesitation or second guessing on my part, returned his lips to their proper place with renewed vigor.

Edward sat back down on the couch, and my legs naturally fell on either side of his lap. I was so caught up in the kiss that I hadn't realize how close our bodies were pressed together until he broke away from my mouth and then that was all I could think about. My hands tugged on his hair as he peppered kisses down my neck and across my collarbone. I had waited so long to feel his silky locks that I didn't want to let go. Edward's own hands had slid down my sides and were pulling my hips into his own. I claimed his lips again as our bodies started an unconscious rocking motion, both desperate for more contact. The kiss was raw and primal, all of our pent up lust coming through. But in addition to the fire, there was a tenderness, especially as Edward started slowing things down, his hands moving back up my sides, over my shoulders, to cup both cheeks.

"God, you don't know how long I have wanted to do that," he breathed as our foreheads came to rest against each other.

"Then why are you stopping?" The comment slipped out without prior thought, but my hormones had obviously completely taken over.

"Trust me, there is nothing more that I want than to completely ravish you on this couch, but I don't want to mess up again. This isn't about meeting just our physical needs, although that is tempting. I want to prove to you that I want all of this – you, us, together. And both of us _together_ need to talk about what's happening between us. You said yourself that I have made all the decisions in the past about our 'relationship' without consulting you. So…"

Edward gracefully untangled our bodies so we are sitting by each other on the couch before taking both of my hands in his.

"What _do_ you want at this point, Bella? As I said before, I am ready to go all in, but I fully agree with what you said the other night; that you need to focus on your case right now. Our top priority is getting you cleared, so if starting something between us right now would be distracting then we can put all of this on hold for the time being."

Edward looked at me with uncertainty, seemingly afraid that he had said something wrong again. I gave him a warm smile as I freed a hand to cup his cheek. His face leaned into my palm as he returned the look.

"Thanks, Edward," I whispered before leaning in for a chaste kiss. "I want more than anything to be with you in every way, but I do think it is best we take things slowly until all this is behind us."

I didn't voice aloud my real concern. I was still afraid that the evidence against me was too great and that I wouldn't be able to avoid a guilty verdict despite our best efforts to identify the real thief. The idea of going to jail was overwhelmingly frightening for some many reasons, the most pressing one sitting beside me at that moment. It was impossible to imagine being torn away from Edward considering our current arrangement, however muddled that had been in the past weeks. Having to leave "more" behind would surely break me.

"Well, perhaps you will let me take you out for a friendly dinner tonight then, as a break from everything. Maybe Palisade's. You have been wanting to go there, right?"

"Sounds great," I returned with a genuine smile, touched that he remembered my comment about the seafood restaurant from one of our late evenings at the office. Those conversations seemed like a lifetime ago at this point.

"But first," Edward continued, "we need to help you wobble to the Volvo so we can hopefully track down some useful information about that mailbox."

I gave him a light slap on the shoulder before accepting Edward's arm and following him out the door.

Luckily the post office was fairly empty when we arrived. Peter, as his nametag indicated, finished up with the only other customer before beckoning us forward.

"How can I help you two today?"

Edward gave me a look as if to say "he's all yours." I couldn't decide if I was thankful he was allowing me to control the situation or annoyed that he left me to implement _his_ idea.

"Yes, I wanted to ask about P.O. Box 528. Someone apparently signed up for that box in my name. Someone other than me."

"I see," Peter replied nervously. Maybe he thought I was going to cause a scene or perhaps he just preferred to avoid any and all drama.

"Would you still have the original application form on file?"

"We should, but I don't think I can show it to you. Privacy laws and all that."

"But surely you can't be breaking any rule by showing me what is supposed to be my own application."

"I… well… uh…." Beads of sweat were now forming on the poor man's brow, and if I wasn't so concerned with my own predicament I might actually feel sorry for him.

"Look, Peter, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. Can I please see the form?" I refused to flirt with the man to get what I needed, but I did give him my best pleading eyes.

"Oh, alright. I guess it couldn't hurt to show you if the name on the box does match your ID."

I think he was conceding just to get rid of me, but I wasn't going to argue with his rationale. After checking my driver's license, Peter scurried to the back before returning with a slightly crumbled piece of paper.

"Here's your original application, Ms. Swan."

I would have probably rolled my eyes as it wasn't really _my_ application, but was distracted by Edward's body as it pressed close to read over my shoulder. Damn! Would this man's affect on me never lessen?

"Definitely not your handwriting," declared the incredibly good smelling man behind me.

I turned to look at him. "How can you be so sure?"

Edward appeared a little sheepish. "I may have stared at your handwritten notes a time or two as I day-dreamed about you."

We would have to follow up on that little tidbit of information later, but for now I needed to focus before Peter went into hiding. The date on the application was July 3rd, the Friday _before_ I started working at Meyer.

"Any chance there is surveillance frontage that might have captured an image from when this was filled out?"

Peter gave me a slightly condescending smile. "We are strictly small time here. No cameras inside the post office, but there is a chance someone might remember you…umm... I mean her that is, seeing as we only get a couple of new box requests each month." He paused to check the form. "You are actually in luck as the person who signed off on the application is working today."

"Felix, can you come out here?" Peter yelled without any further explanation.

A lanky younger guy came from the back room with an annoyed look on his face.

"This better be good as you interrupted my break."

"Sorry to bother you man, but any chance you remember handling this post office box application back in July?" Peter asked as he slid the paper across the countertop.

It only took a quick glance for Felix's eyes to light up. "Oh yeah, I _definitely _remember Isabella Swan."

I didn't really like the look on his face, but decided to press forward anyhow. "I am actually Isabella Swan."

"You can't be. Isabella is this fiery redhead with curves in all the right places and the sexiest little vine tattoo around one wrist. No offense lady as you aren't bad looking yourself, but you're no Isabella Swan."

I started to protest, but Edward grabbed my arm tightly with a slight shake of his head. He quickly pulled out his iPhone and the next thing I knew he was showing Felix a Facebook profile on the small screen.

"Is this the woman who signed up for the box?"

"Yep, there's her all right, in all her glory."

I looked over Edward's shoulder to take in an absolutely gorgeous woman with curly auburn hair. I could definitely see what are the fuss was about, but that didn't help my confusion.

"Who is she?"

His reply was icy, full of contempt when he replied.

"Victoria."

I sat in Edward's car parked right outside of the post office still trying to wrap my head around this newest revelation. Being a Friday afternoon in a quiet neighborhood, we were virtually alone. The only other car in the lot was a green Saab sandwiched between two USPS delivery vans on the side farthest from the building.

"How could she possibly be involved in this?" I wondered aloud before the proverbial light bulb went off in my head. "Oh my gosh, she must be working with James!"

Edward simply nodded in agreement, probably biting the inside of his mouth to keep from saying "I told you so." In the absence of a conversation partner, I continued thinking out loud.

"Well, we know for a fact that Victoria registered for the mailbox, something we should be able to prove thanks to Felix's memory and possibly even a handwriting analysis if needed." Hopefully Felix wouldn't be a problem and would in fact testify if subpoenaed. He admitted to not requiring her to produce proper identification when she applied for the mailbox. Apparently a sob story about her purse getting stolen along with some flirting made him forget about the post office's policy.

"And," I continued, "there has to be a second person involved since she wouldn't be able to access my computer herself. Unless she could have somehow slipped through security?" I paused waiting for Edward to chime in.

"No, that would have been next to impossible. The lobby security desk is manned at all times, 24 hours, 7 days a week. No one is allowed in without having their badge scanned and checked for a picture confirmation. Of course visitors can be signed in by an employee or consultant, but they all have to be signed back out by 5:00 PM each evening."

"So someone else changed the actual code, but she could have designed the module herself potentially. You did say she had a computer engineering degree and worked as a technology analyst, right?"

"Yes, she could have, but why would she need to?" Edward reflected. "James would be more than capable of handing the technical requirements of the theft. My guess is that Victoria had a relatively small part in this whole thing."

"That could work in our benefit. If the district attorney is willing to make a plea bargain with her in exchange for testifying against James, then I could put this whole nightmare behind me that much more quickly." That also meant Edward and I could began our "more" sooner, but with that thought, I mentally slapped myself for not staying focused.

"Are you going to contact either the DA or FBI directly?"

"No, after the last fiasco over the security logs, I am probably better off going through my legal team. They weren't happy that I bypassed them before, plus I am afraid Agent Banner will try to turn this newest lead against me as well."

I pulled out my cell phone to make the call, but only got as far as one of the law firm's receptionist. My lead lawyer passed along the message that I could just update him at tomorrow morning's pre-scheduled meeting. I thought about demanding that he speak to me himself, but relented assuming the information could sit for a few more hours.

"Bella," Edward started once I disconnected the call. "I am so sorry you got pulled into all of this."

"Why in the world are you apologizing? This is James and Victoria's fault for committing the crime and then framing me."

"Yes, but I can't help but think they targeted you because of what happened between them and me in the past." He looked so unhappy at the thought that I knew I had to convince him otherwise.

"Edward, as we have discussed before, it was common knowledge among the extended team that whoever took my role would be making changes to the production database as that was the next scheduled step in the transformation project. It was just a coincidence that there is a personal connection. Please don't beat yourself up."

He grabbed me for a quick but fierce hug before pulling back with a happier look.

"You're right. I am committed to working harder to be positive and not dwell on the past. So let's focus on the now and our dinner tonight." Edward declared as he started the Volvo and pulled out of the parking lot. "If it is okay with you, I want to run home for a quick shower and shave, but I will be back by 7:00 at the latest."

"That works for me. I wouldn't mind a bath myself to unwind a little before our evening."

Edward got a dark look in his eyes. "I really don't need to picture you without clothes on right now."

I blushed at the comment and quickly changed the subject for the reminder of the drive back to Fremont. When we arrived at my apartment building though, I suddenly had trouble pulling myself away from Edward even though I knew I would see him again soon.

"Maybe you could just shower at my place instead?" I asked tentatively, not wanting to appear as needy as I felt.

"Bella, I can't promise that I can behave myself if either of us is naked in that apartment, and I am trying real hard to be a good guy."

"Real hard, huh?" I had recovered from the earlier bath comment and now Coy Bella was apparently making an appearance.

"Isabella," he warned as I slid my hand up his thigh and leaned in to nibble on his oh-so-tempting neck. "Remember, we are taking things slow."

I couldn't believe Edward was shutting down my attempts at seduction, but at the same time I knew he was right. My brain and heart were both absolutely convinced it was better to hold off on a physical relationship, but no one had bothered to tell my body.

Resigned, I gave Edward a quick kiss before stepping out of the Volvo and taking a deep breath of the damp Seattle air. Despite my protesting hormones, my step felt so much lightly as I walked to the front door. The thought that this could all be behind me and that Edward and I could finally start a real relationship seemed too good to be true.

After unlocking the front door to my apartment building, I turned to wave good-bye to Edward as he pulled back out into traffic. My glaze swept the street as I turned back around, and I couldn't help but notice a familiar looking car parked on the corner. Saabs always stood out to me as that was my dream car for some reason when I was a teenager. The make wasn't that popular in the Pacific Northwest so I considered it a good luck sign that I saw two green ones on the same day. Like big shiny clovers with four tires instead of four leaves.

I let myself into my little space and tossed my keys on the front table after locking the door behind me. I noticed Edward's jacket where he had left it draped over a kitchen chair. I couldn't resist hugging the clothing to my body and smiled as I took in his signature scent of forest and citrus. I folded the jacket neatly on my bed before starting a bath. I poured in a generous amount of suds and was just scrolling through my iPod to my favorite "soothing" playlist when I heard a knock on the front door. I smiled realizing Edward couldn't resist me any more than I could stay away from him.

After turning off the water, I rushed through the apartment and quickly unlocked the door, ridiculously happy to be seeing Edward again even though it was less than ten minutes ago that I said goodbye to him downstairs.

"I am so glad you changed your mind—" I started before I even got the door open. Before I could take in the sight of him though, my senses were overwhelmed by a fine mist that was pelting my face. I shut my eyes tight against the onslaught, but they were already burning, and I was having trouble breathing.

I stumbled back into the apartment and managed to mutter "what the hell?" before everything went black.


	16. Reckoning

FYI: There is some violence in the chapter. If you would prefer not to read, send me a PM or leave a note in a review and I will send you a quick summary of the scene.

**Chapter Sixteen: Reckoning**

When conscious thoughts started to surface again, I slowly became aware of my body. My eyes were still burning so I kept them closed at first. My mouth felt thick, but with my disoriented state, it took me a few moments to realize the sensation was caused by an actual cloth wedged between my teeth and stretched behind my head. My hands were bound together which was causing the ache in my shoulders. I attempted to move my feet, but they were restricted as well.

"I can tell you're awake so you might as well open your eyes," a female voice commanded. When I didn't immediately react, I felt the sting of a sharp slap across my left cheek. My eyes popped open and I fought against the pain to keep them that way, although I did have to blink several times to clear the rest of the fog. Based on the severity of my current headache, my guess was that I had been knocked unconscious after being assaulted with pepper spray.

I realized I was in the middle of my living room, bound and gagged. My captor was sitting across from me on a second kitchen chair she had pulled into the room. She made a show of looking me over from head to toe before leaning back.

"I can't figure out for the world of me what Edward could possibly see in you. Obviously his standards have deteriorated since the two of us were together."

I tried to growl at her, but the sound was too muffled. She only laughed at my discomfort. It was then that I noticed the vine around her right wrist, the unneeded confirmation that Victoria was the person who attacked me in my own home. But it wasn't her actual hand that caught my attention; it was the sharp blade protruding from her grasp.

Victoria followed my gaze and laughed again as she started slicing the object through the air before my face. "Ah, it seems like you have noticed my father's old hunting knife. I never imagined I would find a use for this particular keepsake."

The woman in front of me seemed slightly manic. The realization doubled my fear, if that was even possible considering my current state of extreme panic.

"Well, Miss Swan, it appears you have thrown quite the wrench into my carefully laid plans, which I don't appreciate at all. The question now is what to do about it." Victoria brought the tip of the knife across my right cheek. Although she used a light touch and didn't pierce my skin, I could still feel that the abrasion left a mark.

Thoughts were racing through my head trying to figure out why she was here and how she even knew that her involvement had been unearthed. She must have anticipated my unspoken questions.

"I have been following you the last couple of days, ever since the FBI started questioning the other individuals who could have accessed the mainframe. _They _originally cooperated, barely investigating once you were in their target sight, but apparently you felt the need to push them in other directions. And now, you managed to luck out and find that pervert who opened the post office box."

My mind immediately flashed to the green Saabs I saw earlier today, realizing that it was mostly likely just one Saab – hers.

"Now what I need to know it whether you have contacted the FBI with this latest information. Because it looks like I am going to have to leave the country, which I am really not happy about, and I need to know whether my passport has been flagged. So, Miss Swan, how much of a nuisance have you been? How badly do I have to punish you for screwing up what was supposed to be a perfect plan?"

With the last question, the knife returned to my face and this time I felt a small amount of blood trickle down my cheek. My body instinctively tried to shrink back into the chair as the seriousness of the situation bombarded all of my senses.

"So here's what we're going to do. I will remove your gag but if you try to scream then this knife will do a lot more damage than a little scratch. Are we clear?"

I nodded my head up and down as I debated my best course of action. I didn't doubt that the bitch would cut me again or do worse if I tried to yell for help, but would the pain be worth a potential rescue by someone in my building? The problem was they probably won't hear me even if I did try calling out. After being subjected to my Phoenix neighbors' sexual habits night after night, I had made soundproof walls one of my top priorities when searching for a place here in Seattle. The better option seemed to be keeping Victoria engaged and sane until Edward arrived.

I opened my mouth several times to ease the stiffness after the cloth was removed, but I barely had time to enjoy the new freedom before my head was yanked backwards. Victoria had a handful of my hair and was pulling so hard that my neck strained at an awkward angle from the force. Tears formed in my eyes and I had to bite my tongue to keep from screaming out.

"Good girl. Just testing to make sure you can keep your mouth shut while we have our little talk. See, I can't promise that I won't inflict more pain here and there during the conversation. After all, you really did fuck me over with your little Nancy Drew routine seeing as I planned on enjoying my newfound wealth here in Seattle. But assuming you cooperate and don't bullshit me, then I will leave you in alive when I am done."

Victoria released my hair, but I couldn't relax as the manic look had returned and her eyes practically glowed with glee as she continued, "but with a few souvenirs of our time together of course."

This time, the tip of the knife ran down my upper right arm, cutting more deeply, and I watched in horror as the wound welled with dark red liquid. The sight and smell of my own blood was almost too much for my mind to take, but the pain that quickly followed kept my body alert. Unfortunately I couldn't suppress the animalistic cry that bubbled up and out of my throat, but Victoria anticipated my weakness and clamped her hand over my mouth before the sound could fully escape. Of course I earned a strike in the temple with the knife's handle for failure to follow instructions. My head started swimming again, but my instinct to stay conscious at all cost won out.

"So who besides Edward have you talked to since you left the post office?" Victoria asked after returning to the seat in front of me. Her tone had taken on a different quality than moments before. She was cold and calculating and completely focused; the need for information trumping her obvious desire to inflict pain.

"No one," I squeaked out, using my voice for the first time since this nightmare began. "I tried to tell my legal team, but I couldn't get past the receptionist. The lead counselor was apparently occupied so he just passed along the message that we would talk at our meeting already scheduled for tomorrow morning."

"Hmm…I am tempted to believe you, but not about to risk capture on that hunch." Victoria leaned back and seemed to consider the situation a moment before her face brightened. She leaped up and after a quick search found the living room extension for my landline. I could see her scrolling through the call logs and knew what she would find. I hadn't used that line at all today.

"Where is your cell phone?" she asked all businesslike.

"In my front pocket," I responded then leaned sideways to give her access. As I shifted, my bound hands swung to the side and I felt a stab to my wrist. At first, I cursed my luck. As if I weren't already bruised and bloodied enough, I had scraped myself on the annoying nail that stuck out the back of the chair, a defect I discovered right after the dining set had been delivered but hadn't gotten around to fixing. But then I considered that perhaps luck was on my side after all.

As Victoria pulled up the records of my incoming and outgoing calls, I started maneuvering the knot binding my wrists together against the nail head, trying to loosen the connection.

"Well it appears my instinct was right, you don't have the balls to lie to me. Unless you could have conveyed my involvement during the one 47-second phone call you made this afternoon, which I seriously doubt. Now assuming no one starts looking for you before your meeting tomorrow, I should have plenty of time to tie up some loose ends and cross the border into Canada." She seemed to be talking to herself so I spent those brief moments at war inside my own mind. Part of me was rejoicing at the thought that she would hopefully be leaving my apartment soon, but another part hated the idea of her getting away with the crime even if my own name was cleared. If I could just keep her talking until Edward got here…

"What about James?" I asked, grasping at a topic.

"What about him?"

"Does he know we uncovered the truth of the crime and that he needs to leave town as well?"

Victoria looked confused for a slight moment before throwing her head back in laughter.

"You really thought James was involved with this? He may be a cocky bastard at times, but the man is a choir boy at heart." Her laughter quickly evaporated as a scowl replaced the grin from moments before. "Well, shit, you aren't as smart as I thought. Apparently it was just dumb luck that you were able to find evidence against me. Perhaps I showed my hand too soon by coming here, which just pisses me off more. I might just need to make another cut to improve my mood."

As she leaned forward seeming to consider a suitable location on my body, the phone that had been discarded on the floor gave a loud beep signaling an incoming text. Victoria quickly grabbed my cell and flipped the device back open as I continued loosening the knot binding my hands together.

"Well, it seems like you have a secret or two after all," my captor sneered after reading the message. "You failed to mention that Edward was supposed to be coming over tonight. Of course, that is easy to take care of now that he has conveniently told me himself."

As Victoria typed out a reply text, presumably telling Edward not to come over after all, my heart sank. Although I didn't like the idea of being a damsel in distress, the fact of the matter was that I _was_ counting on him to swoop in and save me. Now I was faced with deciding for myself what was more important, protecting my own skin – literally – or seeing Victoria brought to justice. I really didn't think she would intentionally kill me, but if I tried to fight, there was a chance of getting fatally wounded during a struggle for the knife. I had to also consider the potential punishment if I failed in my attempt to break free. I didn't doubt that those cuts, and resulting scars, would be even more severe. A scene from one of my favorite movies surfaced in my mind out of nowhere, a quote about fighting someone to the pain instead of to the death.

But as Victoria approached me once again with the knife, the decision became clear. The bitch had already taken too much from me, and I refused to let her get away with more. Calling forth every female heroine I had ever admired from Buffy to Sydney Bristow, I pulled and tugged against the chair's misplaced nail with all the strength I possessed. Victoria seemed to realize I was up to something a split second before my hands were free and I was flinging my body at hers. Since my ankles were still bound, we didn't make it far before crashing to the floor of my living room.

"You bitch," Victoria barked out as she kicked at my legs and lower body. Her arms were pinned beneath my own hands, but I wasn't sure how long I could hold her and belatedly realized I should have thought this plan through more. The redhead was trying to angle the knife she still held towards my face which was hovering above her own, so I started slamming that wrist against the carpet. I finally caught a break as the weapon flew out of her grasp, but it was in that same moment that she managed to flip our bodies and gain the upper hand.

The quick movement caused my left leg to push against the chair awkwardly and the telltale sound of a bone breaking confirmed the furniture's victory in the struggle.

I cried out in agony as Victoria attempted to reach for the fallen knife while keeping me pinned to the floor.

"Bella, Bella, are you okay?"

In my haze of pain, I wasn't sure if I was really hearing Edward's muffled voice or if my subconscious was playing tricks on me. After all, he shouldn't be here. Victoria had sent him a text saying I needed to cancel our dinner plans as something else came up.

But based on Victoria's reaction, it was obvious that she also heard his yells and the loud bangs on my door. The manic look returned in full force as the other woman retrieved the knife. I feared that her sanity had entirely fled after realizing that she missed her chance to escape. As her primal scream of rage filled the room, I was forced to reconsider my assessment that she wouldn't seriously harm me. In that moment, I felt sure she would in fact _kill_ me if I didn't stop her.

I could hear Edward trying to break down the door and initially thought to only hold her off until he gained entrance, but my own more basic side surfaced and I wanted, no needed, to take care of the bitch myself.

As Victoria raised up her body to gain a better position for a final swipe of the knife, I took advantage of a freed arm and threw a punch I wouldn't have guess I was capable of. Her nose burst into a sea of red and our bodies tilted to the side. In the few seconds it took Victoria to recover, I managed to grab a chair leg that had broken off in our earlier struggles. I blocked her attempt to drive the knife into my chest and then landed three quick blows to Victoria's head. The last caused her body to go limp on top of mine and the knife to fall again, just barely missing my neck this time.

In quick succession, I pushed Victoria's unconscious body away, untied my ankles, and pulled my broken body over to the door to release the lock. Edward came barreling in, and after a quick assessment of the scene, swept me into his arms on the floor. I wasn't sure if the rocking motion he started was to comfort me or himself as it was unclear who was more terrified about what could have happened.

The adrenaline had completely seeped from my body, and I no longer had the strength or desire to fight off unconsciousness. I knew I had lost a lot of blood and probably had a concussion in addition to my broken leg, but in that moment, I just needed to cocoon myself fully in the safety of Edward's arms. The rest could be dealt with later.


End file.
